IF Oxford is a grassroots cultural charity that inspires communities across Oxford and beyond to create an annual science and ideas festival in October for thousands of people to enjoy.
The MRC WIMM’s first festival event was Ironclad, a whirlwind journey covering the Big Bang, the origins of life on Earth and the development of modern vaccines delivered by Professor Hal Drakesmith and Professor Jon Wade (Department of Earth Sciences).
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During the talk, a wide variety of props were passed around, including a meteorite and a (toy) Komodo dragon. Throughout their talk, Hal and Jon showcased the significance of iron across the different scientific fields and throughout the course of history. They also showed the audience how scotch eggs can be used as a model for planetary evolution!
Researchers from across the Institute also came together to deliver an activity called “How and Why We Edit Genes” at two of IF Oxford’s family zones, Explorazone and BLAST. This activity allowed children of all ages to learn about some of the methods scientists can use to edit genes and why this might be useful for treating certain diseases. Stand visitors could race to find all the ‘unhappy’ cells in a giant bone marrow model and turn them ‘happy’ again, simulating stem cell gene therapies.
Lisa Leinhos, one of the researchers running the stall, said:
It was fantastic to see kids light up with excitement as they explored science in a playful way. Watching them and their parents engage, ask questions, and discover together really showed how powerful these events can be in sparking curiosity and fostering a love for learning. Events like this help make science accessible and fun for all ages!