To celebrate British Science Week (11-20 March), the University is launching a special website of online resources developed by researchers, lecturers, staff and students.

Aimed at secondary school pupils from year 7 and above – as well as the public – the project has been created to showcase the research and teaching in biological and biomedical sciences at Manchester.

Featuring online videos, activities and exhibits, participants are able to take part in virtual tours of the Firs Botanical Gardens which represent habitats from deserts to tropical forests. They can learn how worms are used in the lab and how a living biobank for ovarian cancer is being developed at the Manchester Cancer Research Centre. They can also view the research being done to develop Covid-19 vaccines using plants.

The University’s Professor Matthew Cobb looks at fifty years of genetic engineering, a subject he covered for BBC Radio Four in a programme called Genetic dreams, genetic nightmares. You can meet Dmitri, Manchester Museum’s very own Spider-Man and find out about the animal research being done at the University, and how it contributes to globally important breakthroughs in medical science. Insights are provided into visualising nerve regeneration, how forces affect cells and how we can communicate health through the medium of comics with graphic medicine. Professor Dan Davis tells us about his new book the ‘Secret Body’ and startling new discoveries in human biology.

Organised by Dr Shazia Chaudhry, in association with colleagues from across the University, BioDiscovery aims to encourage enthusiasm, fun and discovery in the biological and biomedical sciences, both in school pupils and the wider public, offering an inspirational exploration of science.