Students dive into cellular therapy development through RESILIENCE outreach

26 June 2024

A group of students from the USA had the chance to experience a virtual introduction to the interior of a cell and visualise potential careers in medicines manufacturing during a recent visit to Heriot-Watt University.

On 25th of June, Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh hosted a group of 21 college and university students from all across the USA. The group were there as part of a study-abroad summer programme, organised by DIS – Study abroad in Scandinavia, a non-profit foundation based in Denmark.

Using Meta Quest 3 VR headsets, the students, who had academic backgrounds in various biomedical subjects, such as biochemistry, bioengineering and medical technology, explored how cellular therapy is developed in the lab and took a virtual dive into the components of a cell.

According to Laura Porcza, Research Associate with the recently established RESILIENCE UK Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence, and a PhD researcher in Cancer Bioengineering at Heriot-Watt University, “It was great to welcome the students to our facilities, and they thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to explore a career in medicine manufacturing.”

“It was great to welcome the students to our facilities, and they thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to explore a career in medicine manufacturing.”

Laura Porcza, RESILIENCE Research Associate, Heriot-Watt University

If you would like to know more about how RESILIENCE’s outreach activities can help fire the imagination of the next generation of talent and enhance future competitiveness in UK medicines manufacturing, get in touch with our outreach champion Bernice Wright at University College London or you can contact the programme through our website here.