Local community welcomed for Doors Open Day

The Institute of Genetics and Cancer welcomed nearly 200 visitors for Doors Open Day: September 2023

Doors Open Days is a Scottish festival coordinated by the Scottish Civic Trust which allows people to explore hundreds of venues across Scotland, including areas not normally open to the public.

Over 180 people of all ages visited the Institute on Saturday 23 September as part of the festival. 40 staff and student volunteers ran the event, sharing information about our genetics and cancer research with interested members of the local community and wider public through tours, talks and posters and family friendly drop-in activities.

A brand new hands-on activity, the ‘build-a-gene' dark genome fish, developed by researchers working on gene regulation, the zebrafish facility and workshop was piloted at the event. This interactive exhibit allowed visitors to explore how genes are controlled and how DNA variation can affect this; a key theme of the Institute's research.

Visitors gave very positive feedback, noting the passion of the researchers they met and surprise at the wealth and types of research in the building. Tours and talks were the highlights of the day.

Volunteers found the event stimulating and inspiring, with many thought-provoking conversations.

I'm proud of living in Edinburgh and home of such great research.

People seemed impressed by the science and did not mind 'challenging' topics like animal use or gene editing.

Related Links

• Doors Open Days website