The curious orange cartoon-mouse is a part of German TV history. The childrens program "Die Sendung mit der Maus" ("The show with the Mouse") taught generations how airplanes can fly, how milk gets into a paper packaging, why lightbulbs glow and many other phenomena of daily life. Since 2011, the mouse allows children to take a look into sites that normaly stay closed for the public. At the annual event "Türen auf mit der Maus" ("open doors with the Mouse"), institutions, companies and also research laboratories offer visits on-site for children, to show what the daily work looks like and educate scientific phenomena.
The Mouse and children from the Bonn area visit laboratories at ImmunoSensation2 on a regular basis at "Türen auf mit der Maus". This time, the group of Prof. Dagmar Wachten welcomed a group of 15 students in the age of 6 to 11 years. The research group at the Department of Biophysical Imaging & Molecular Physiology at the Institute of Innate Immunity is particularly interested in how different cells of the body interact with immune cells. The researchers make use of optogenetics, a technique that enables the precise control of biological processes by light. In this regard, cells are genetically modified to produce light-sensitive proteins, for example enzymes, ion channels or transporters.
Light was therefore the focus of the day, both as a physical phenomenon and as a biomedical research tool. After an introduction to the properties of light by PhD student Fabian Frechen, the kids used a light-maze built from building blocks to learn how different colors of light can be used to control a light sensor, how light may travel through an optical fibre and how to paint with light using a camera with long exposure time. Next, the scientists illustrated how refraction of different fluids and materials affects the propagation of light and may be used to make objects invisible. Introducing a technique actually used by researchers at ImmunoSensation2, the students were introduced to fluorescence microscopy. Different insect wings were examined under polarized light and cells equipped with fluorescent proteins were admired under the confocal microscope. To round of the day with a highlight, the researchers prepared elephant's toothpaste together with the kids.
"It was fun to show the children our lab and see that they learned something and took something away from the day. The light painting and the elephant toothpaste in particular seemed to be the kid's highlights." Fabian Frechen says.
The day was an effort of the entire team of Prof. Dagmar Wachten, who is also involved in other areas of science communication. For example Wachten engages in the Bonn "Healthybition", a special exhibition at the Museum König, adressing the western lifestyle and health, opening November 13th, 2024.
Contact
Dr. David Fußhöller
Science Communication and Public Relations
ImmunoSensation2: Bonn Cluster of Excellence
University Hospital Bonn
Phone +49 (0)228 287 51281
E-Mail: david.fusshoeller(at)uni-bonn.de
