Michal Šmída frequently uses the CRISPR/Cas technology in his lab and is constantly fascinated by the avid interest of secondary school students in this subject. He almost envies them the unparalleled opportunities they are offered by top research institutions. The fact they are motivated, keen, and very well prepared is attested by this year’s three finalists of the national round of Expert Activities of Secondary School Students, three young people who are just about reaching for the door to the real world of science. Even so, their work in cancer research has already won them the NICR Award.
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How attractive do you think is the opportunity to have a hands-on experience with top-level science even before leaving the secondary school?
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What brought you to science? Were you perhaps inspired by someone from your family?
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Can the support of a research consortium, such as the NICR, help intensify the interest of secondary school students in science and help them find the way to it?
Michal Šmída
Brno node, CEITEC MU
Focus on functional genomics
- I find it fascinating just how interested current secondary school students are in science and research, and their knowledge of some expert subjects is amazing. When I compare it to when I was in secondary school, I must admit that we did not have so much information at our disposal. Nowadays, there is a vast amount of information on the internet, many interesting scientific topics are discussed on TV or in various podcasts, there are educational events organised for the general public, secondary school students can visit research institutions… Thinking about it, I am slightly envious of the unprecedented opportunities that current secondary school students have. It naturally awakens their curiosity; they want not only to hear about science but also to touch it with their own hands. I am constantly amazed by how many secondary school students write to me and ask for a summer research internship or involvement in the Expert Activities for Secondary School Students (SOČ). And they are willing to come to the lab even several times a week from far away. They simply heard about the CRISPR/Cas technology and want to try it out in a top-level research institution. Moreover, by acquiring some practical experience in the lab already during secondary school, they get a big head start on their peers.
- I have always been interested in biology, which is also why I participated in various biology Olympiads and Expert Activities for Secondary School Students ever since the elementary school. After secondary school, I was trying to decide whether I should study medicine or molecular biology, but because I have an inner need to understand things and grasp their principles, molecular biology was in the end a clear choice. Moreover, as a physician, I would have been able to help only individual patients, while as a scientist, I may be able to help a huge number of people all over the world. In the end, the two worlds had come together, and I do my research in molecular medicine.
- I believe that the existence of the NICR consortium can help further intensify the interest of secondary school students in research. It is important that they should learn about its existence, ideally all around our country. That’s why it is so important to promote NICR around secondary schools and organise various activities for their students. I am quite sure that once they see how excellent research can be done in the Czech conditions, it will spark their further interest. And moreover, they will already learn about particular research subjects, form a better idea of what they could and would like to do in the future, and that will help them focus their interest. And for the NICR, it is undoubtedly beneficial that these young people will know exactly where they want to go.
Adrian Svoboda
Graduate of Božena Němcová Gymnasium, Hradec Králové
Award-winning work ‘New inhibitors for overcoming anthracycline resistance in tumours’
Zuzana Zelenková
Student of a gymnasium in Brno-Řečkovice
Award-winning work ‘The use of 3D organoids for the research of brain tumours’
Martin Nedecký
Graduate of Jiří Orten Gymnasium, Kutná Hora
Award-winning work ‘Epithelial organoids as a model of cancers initiated by mutations in the Apc and Kras genes’
- Adrian: For people who are interested in science, not only natural science but also humanities, it is great that already at secondary school they can ‘touch’ real research. Unfortunately, I have the impression that many of my peers don’t see these opportunities or aren’t aware of them. As a result, they still move ‘only’ on the secondary-school level. So, the more such opportunities, the better.
Zuzana: It is very attractive, among other things because it helps us get ahead of our peers and learn lots of new things. I really appreciate the opportunity to participate in it, which I had.
Martin: And moreover, the sooner you try something out, be it science or anything else, the sooner you find out whether it’s your cup of tea. Then you have time to decide whether you want to stay with it or not. I believe that there are plenty of opportunities to do that, it’s just that they’re not so widely known. Much certainly depends also on the management of a particular secondary school: for instance, we have a fantastic headmaster who offers such opportunities to us when they emerge and supports our participation.
- Martin: My grandfather was a chemist, a scientist. I have always been interested in how things work – and science gives us answers to questions which I think all children have. Some people prefer soaking up such information passively, for others it is important to actively ponder about each of them. So, as a child I used to take apart alarm clocks, and now I ended up taking apart cells .
Zuzana: For me, it was mainly curiosity. I enjoyed even the initial science class in the lower grades of elementary school. Some people said I was a nerd, but I always claimed I’m not. Well, I suppose I was a bit. By the way, both of my parents studied biology, and my mom does research in genetics.
Adrian: Both of my parents work in the pharmaceutic industry, so the world of medicine, chemistry, and biology felt quite close to me ever since I was a little child. If you foster and develop this kind of natural curiosity, the kind of curiosity that every child has, it will bring you to science. And the more you know about the natural world, the more you’re fascinated by how complex it is – and that in turn drives you forward, to find out even more. - Adrian: If we want to have in our country, or in the world in general, good scientists and good researchers, it is certainly necessary to offer opportunities to the people who want to do it and pursue science as part of their self-realisation.
Zuzana: NICR is certainly a highly beneficial institution because it brings together scientists, teams, and various areas of research. If there was something I could wish for, I’d like the NICR to enable me to meet some research teams.
Martin: I too appreciate mainly the idea of bringing together scientists and projects. I think that previously, something like that was missing here and that it is necessary for some further progress in research and science in general. And that’s what NICR is doing.