On 25-26 November, the LCSB participated in the Researchers’ Days 2022 with a booth dedicated to microorganisms and how we study them. Organised by the Systems Ecology group, the activities were a success, attracting hundreds of visitors keen to observe microbes under a microscope, to blow up balloons with yeasts and to extract DNA from their saliva!
A biyearly event to celebrate research
Organised by the National Research Fund (FNR), the Researchers’ Days are a key event for research in Luxembourg, offering scientists a unique platform to present their work to a large audience. Visitors can enjoy a hands-on experience, conduct experiments, ask questions and get a very concrete and personal insight into the world of research.
The LCSB has participated in the event on a regular basis, with activities presenting scientific research in an exciting way: from customised suits to imitate Parkinson’s disease to bracelets replicating a DNA sequence. This year, the LCSB workshop was organised by the Systems Ecology group and focused on the microorganisms that can be found all around us.
Never alone, always together: Living in a microbial world
The visitors of the Researchers’ Days were invited to discover where these microscopically small organisms can be found, from the harshest environments on our planet to the inside of our gut! They could learn how microorganisms help to keep us healthy and find out how we study them in the LCSB lab.
Some agar plates and microscopes were available to see how microbes can be cultivated and what they look like when magnified 600 times. The participants could also mix yeast and sugar to discover one of the many roles of microorganisms in our gut: help digestion and, as a by-product, generate some gas, enough to fill a balloon over a few hours. Finally, the budding researchers could try out DNA extraction from a biological sample, another method used in the lab to identify the microorganisms present in the gut of patients.
A team of energetic researchers from the Systems Ecology group and additional volunteers from other teams guided visitors through the different experiments and provided explanations. On Friday, they welcomed high-school students from all over the country and on Saturday, hundreds of families. A big thank you for their time and enthusiasm to: Amélie, Bérénice, Catherine, Charlotte, Gianfranco, Madita, Mara, Miriam, Pau, Polina and Susheel!
Discover the LCSB booth in pictures through a RTL reportage (1:45 – 2:48) >>
All about signal transmission at the Scienteens Lab’s booth
The Scienteens Lab was also present at the Researchers’ Days with a workshop entitled “Post it!”. Visitors were invited explore how information and can be messages delivered from the perspective of four different disciplines!
In biology, they could measure the speed at which signals are sent through our body and make use of these signals to move a robotic hand. In physics, the Scienteens Lab’s team showcased how to modulate light to send music or images through fibre-optic cables. In mathematics, participants had to find the shortest circuit in a road network for a postman to deliver mail faster. And in computer science, they had the opportunity to learn more about the path between a letter pressed on a keyboard and its image on a computer screen. Plenty to discover for all the little scientists who visited the Rockhal last weekend!
