On June 5th, more than 400 students from 7th to 12th grade, from schools in Carahue and Imperial, gathered at the cultural center in Nueva Imperial to participate in the “Gene Hunters Festival.” This event was organized by the Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation (CRG) with the support of Promueve de Bioren. The festival included a variety of scientific outreach activities, such as lectures, photographic exhibitions, competitions, and scientific games.
Dr. Miguel Allende (U-Chile), Director of the CRG, along with Dr. Jacqueline Acuña from the Universidad de la Frontera and a team of students and postdoctoral researchers associated with the institute, led the activities. The main objective of the event was to bring students closer to the fascinating world of genomics, teaching them the importance of DNA sequencing, its applications in science, and the relevance of having this genetic information.
The CRG’s outreach activities with students have traveled from Toconao to southern Chile, aiming to inspire and educate young people about genomic science. At this festival, information was also shared about the “1000 Genomes Chile” project, a major initiative that aims to build a genomic map of Chile’s biodiversity, with the collaboration of scientists from across the country.
The “Gene Hunters Festival” not only allowed students to learn interactively and playfully about genomics, but also gave them the opportunity to learn more about scientific advances and their impact on understanding and conserving Chile’s biodiversity.
