Work Experience in a Biochemistry Laboratory

	PROJECT DESCRIPTION Two students were placed with research groups within a university for one week, working with research students and using equipment not available in their school.	AREAS OF SCIENCE Astronomy Chemistry Computing Engineering / Technology Environment Interdisciplinary Life Science / Medicine Physics	WHERE School Other institution Field / Expedition WHEN In curriculum Extra curricular Work experience	SCHOOL TYPE Primary Secondary to 16 Post 16 Independent Maintained Sixth Form College Further Education
	PROJECT ORGANISERS Caroline Capon, Seven Kings High School. Penny Ashmore, Redbridge Education and Industry Unit. Nan Davies, Wellcome Centre for Medical Science. Dr Paul O'Shea and Professor R J Cherry, Biochemistry Department, University of Essex.

Project Participants

Harminder Sehra and Jasvinder Battu, both aged 18, took part in this project, which was extra curricular and conducted outside of the school.

Science Programme

As their teacher, Caroline Capon's scientific objectives were to find a way for her students to:

Understand the relevance of their scientific knowledge to everyday life;
Understand and experience research as part of a team in a 'real' place of work;
Use scientific equipment not available in schools.

Harminder (left) and Jasvinder (right) in the school's greenhouse

To these ends, one week placements were organised for Harminder Sehra and Jasvinder Battu at Essex University during which they were resident on campus. They worked with Professor Cherry and Dr Paul O'Shea and were introduced to research work on their first day. Harminder became part of a team that was trying to discover a way of preventing the fungus Candida albicans from clumping, using drugs already available. She worked with PhD student Carol Hobson, testing substances which would deaggregate the clumps of fungus and later worked with another PhD student, Lorraine Jones, using gel electrophoresis to investigate the type of proteins found in the fungus.

Jasvinder worked with PhD student George Georgio on a project investigating potential porphyrin anticancer agents. This research is a new development in photo-dynamic therapy. She carried out different types of experiments including: growing human tissue cultures; observing the effects of different types of porphyrin on the cell and its nucleus; showing that the porphyrin interacts with the DNA of the cell nucleus by electrostatic attraction.

On Jasvinder's final day she used a fluorescence microscope to show the movement of porphyrins into the cell nucleus and was able to photograph digital images.

Because of Health and Safety regulations, the students were restricted to following a series of planned experiments, which they could contribute ideas to, but which they could not lead overall. They also spent some time shadowing scientists at work, without direct participation.

Personal Development

Harminder and Jasvinder both gained enthusiasm for their A Level subjects, especially Biology, and a commitment and desire to succeed. They had experienced university life and now more than ever wanted to be part of it. They had also matured and could see the direction and importance of their studies more clearly.

As a result of the placements they gained confidence with their experimental work back in the school laboratory and were much more willing to take part in class discussions. They had seen science in a much broader sense than they had experienced in school and they could understand the usefulness of their knowledge to others in the future.

Caroline Capon had found on several occasions that when she asked students to plan and carry out their own piece of research they were perplexed and anxious as they had no idea where to begin. When she now asks students who have experienced science-based work placements she receives a more positive response. This is a relief to her as she had often wondered where she was going wrong!

Visiting the students at their place of work and meeting their temporary employer can be an enjoyable experience for teaching staff and has given Caroline more insight into the research that is going on today.

Outcomes

The students would normally have presented their findings and experiences in a talk to other A Level Biology students. In the case of Harminder and Jasvinder, this went one step further as they presented their experiences at the Wellcome Centre for Medical Science/Clifton Scientific Trust Conference on 'Pupils as Scientists'. They also gave a talk to an ASE meeting in Southampton and contributed to the February issue of Past Sixteen Science Issues, an ASE publication (Capon, Sehra and Battu, 1994).

Project Origin

A digital image showing the movement of porphyrins into the cell nucleus

In the classroom Caroline felt that her A Level Biology students had a very blinkered view of Biology and of science in general. They had no perception of the relevance of their knowledge to everyday life. They were also unaware of the vast variety of careers available to them in science. She contacted Penny Ashmore, at the Redbridge Education and Industry Unit, who organised good quality placements in various local laboratories, linked to the students career preferences. Penny Ashmore contacted Nan Davies, Education Officer at the Wellcome Centre for Medical Science, who arranged the placements at Essex University.

Since Harminder and Jasvinder completed their one week placement at Essex University, four more students have gained a similar experience. Placements have also been set up in other laboratories in different areas of research and in hospitals via the Redbridge Education and Industry Unit. It is envisaged that all post-16 Biology students will be given the opportunity of work experience in an area of interest to them in the future.

Resources

The pupils normally give up one week of their school time for these placements, although some have been arranged in the school holidays.
The students pay their own travel and accommodation costs (if necessary).
The teacher's commitment is to make a few telephone calls to arrange the final details of the placements and to visit the students during their placement.
Each placement found by the Redbridge Education and Industry Unit costs the school £16 per student. This is funded by the school budget.
The Wellcome Trust funds research at Essex University and set aside extra funds for the student placements.

Contact

Ms Caroline Capon, Seven Kings High School, Ley Street, Ilford, Essex 1G2 7BT.
Tel: +44 (0) 181 5548935.