Heidelberg Life Science Lab Celebrates Its Tenth Anniversary and is a Winner in the Competition ‘365 Places in a Country of Ideas'
The Heidelberg Life Science Lab celebrates its tenth anniversary on July 2-4. During this event, the ‘Germany – Country of Ideas’ initiative, jointly with Deutsche Bank, will recognize the support program of the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) as a ‘Selected Place 2010’. At the same time, the Lab’s alumni association celebrates its fifth anniversary.
Participants and Mentors at the Celebration
© dkfz.de
DKFZ gives special support to high-school students with particular interest in and talent for mathematical, scientific and technical subjects by giving them early insights into laboratory work. The working groups are led by scientific mentors and work on real and up-to-date research topics. The organization of experiments lies in the hands of the participants. In addition, the Life Science Lab offers talks and public lectures for the students. In weekend seminars and science academies during the summer holidays, participants improve their acquired skills and discuss their results with international teams. Besides supporting students in science, the Life Science Lab imparts independent and responsible working skills and the joy of discovery and constructive teamwork. Currently, there are approximately 160 participants in 19 working groups in a highly diversified program.
“We are very proud to have brought natural sciences closer to young people for the last ten years,” says Dr. Katrin Platzer, head of the Life Science Lab. Last year, the Life Science Lab won the € 50,000 main prize of the ‘School Meets Science’ competition of the Robert Bosch Foundation. This weekend, the Life Science Lab will be presented an award as a ‘Selected Place 2010’ by the ‘Germany – Country of Ideas’ initiative and Deutsche Bank. “The students continuously and successfully take part in various relevant competitions,” says Katrin Platzer. This year, participants won the international special award in the youth research competition ‘Jugend forscht’, which will send the project as the German contribution to the international contest in China. A goal for the future is to facilitate international internships for high-school graduates. Within the framework of the International Science Academy, there have been 4-week research visits to Kenya, Estonia and Stanford and Berkeley Universities.
The high participation rate in the alumni program of the Life Science Lab bears witness to the sustainability of the support program. One hundred and seventy members from five continents meet regularly for science weekends, academies and informal get-togethers. This active network keeps alive friendships and contacts as well as the joy of science and research. Past participants support Life Science Lab projects as mentors, arrange internships and organize information events and calls for proposals for awards.
Of more than 2,200 applications, the Life Science Lab was selected by an independent jury of the event series entitled ‘365 Places in the Country of Ideas’. Within this countrywide competition, a social or cultural facility, company or institute presents itself and its innovative idea to the public. For more information about all award winners in the country of ideas please visit http://www.land-der-ideen.de.
A note to editorial offices:
The award for ‘Selected Place 2010’ will be presented by Andreas Rohde, Deutsche Bank, at the 10th anniversary celebration of Heidelberg Life Science Lab on Saturday, July 3, 2010 at 12 o’clock noon in the Kommunikationszentrum of DKFZ. Journalists are cordially invited to attend the award ceremony as well as the whole anniversary event. Please announce your attendance. The event program is available at https://www.life-science-lab.org/cms/tl_files/vortraege/EinladungLabjubilaeum_Final.pdf
With more than 3,000 employees, the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) is Germany’s largest biomedical research institute. DKFZ scientists identify cancer risk factors, investigate how cancer progresses and develop new cancer prevention strategies. They are also developing new methods to diagnose tumors more precisely and treat cancer patients more successfully. The DKFZ's Cancer Information Service (KID) provides patients, interested citizens and experts with individual answers to questions relating to cancer.
To transfer promising approaches from cancer research to the clinic and thus improve the prognosis of cancer patients, the DKFZ cooperates with excellent research institutions and university hospitals throughout Germany:
The DKFZ is 90 percent financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and 10 percent by the state of Baden-Württemberg. The DKFZ is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers.
