Learning made fun at the CDB Open House |
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April 21, 2004 – The RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (CDB) held its second
annual Open House event on April 17, welcoming more 1,600 visitors to the Center for a day of scientific
exhibits, talks and demonstrations.
The event, which took place as a part of the national Science and Technology week activities,
offered simple and fun explanations of topics in development, regeneration and regenerative
medicine, from embryogenesis and stem cells to model organisms used in research. All exhibits
and demonstrations were staffed by scientists who explained their work and laboratory techniques
to visitors of all ages and walks of life.
In the day’s open lectures, Dr
Hiroshi Sasaki of the Laboratory for Embryonic Induction gave a talk on how genes work to build the
body, while Dr Fumio Matsuzaki of the Laboratory
for Cell Asymmetry spoke about the mechanisms that determine a cell’s characteristics.
A number of scientific demonstrations allowed non-scientists to get firsthand experience
with basic scientific principles and research equipment, including a simple experiment letting
people visualize their cells under a microscope, as well as demonstrations of the freezing
power of liquid nitrogen and the natural patterns formed by chemical and physical reactions.
Large sections of all three of the CDB’s main laboratory buildings were open, with
many labs granting a peek into life as a researcher to the general public or to guided group
tours. Visitors could also investigate the CDB in detail through a virtual lab tour accessible
on computers located throughout the Center.
The neighboring Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation and the Translational
Research Informatics Center also opened their doors to the public on the same day, giving
local residents to enjoy a full day of learning and fun with research into the miracles
of development, regeneration and regenerative medicine.
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