In Term 3, both the Introductory (Yr 7) and Investigative (Yr 8) years of our Brilliant Futures program have had the opportunity to take part in numerous lab-based workshops at the Translational Research Institute (TRI) in Brisbane. The TRI is a medical research facility that's at the forefront of medical research in Australia, which partners with multiple Queensland universities, including University of Queensland's SPARQ-ed program, which offers high school students practical biomedical learning experiences.
Led by SPARQ-ed Head of Department, Mrs Charmain Keal, our Year 7 Brilliant Futures students took part in a Microbiology and Microscopy workshop on Saturday 13 August, developing lab and microscope techniques in looking at microorganisms, and our Year 8 students took part in the Introduction to Cell Biology workshop on Saturday 3 September, looking at live cancer cells and their reactions to various saline concentrations. These workshops are always a very hands-on and authentic experience for students, who are often left inspired and wanting more. We are very grateful to the work of SPARQ-ed for providing these opportunities for our Brilliant Futures students.
Patrick Emery
Brilliant Futures Coordinator