How do you test whether a medicine works, without animal testing? Some UT-researchers don’t just work on science, they also bring it to life for others. During Expeditie NEXT in Enkhuizen, children discovered it for themselves through an interactive experiment developed by MESA+ researcher Séverine Le Gac and a team of young researchers.
Stepping into the role of researcher
In just fifteen minutes, young visitors stepped into the role of researcher. Using a pipette, they took a ‘biopsy’ from a mini organ, selected their own ‘medicines’ and observed what happened. Did the colour change? Then the treatment worked. If it stayed the same, it did not.
In this way, children were introduced in a playful and accessible manner to how new treatments are developed.
Explaining organs-on-a-chip
The experiment was based on organs-on-a-chip: a technology that mimics certain functions of the human body on a small chip. This approach offers new possibilities for testing medicines, gaining a better understanding of diseases, and reducing the use of animal testing.
In the long term, it may even contribute to more personalised treatments.
From classroom to Expeditie NEXT
For Expeditie NEXT, Séverine’s team developed a compact public engagement activity around this technology. Using gelatine-based organ models and ‘test medicines’, children got hands-on experience. They discovered that not every medicine works on every organ, and that comparing results is essential in research.
The activity builds on an NWO-funded project, in which educational materials on organs-on-a-chip are being developed for primary schools in collaboration with the Radboud University Science Hub. At the invitation of NWO, the team translated this material into an interactive experience for a wider audience.
For many children, this was their first encounter with scientific research.
More recent news
Mon 22 Jun 2026A minimal model for how a cell takes shape from the inside
Thu 18 Jun 2026British ambassador visits MESA+ Institute
Wed 10 Jun 2026Tracking scents to their source: an electronic nose that can follow odours
Tue 9 Jun 2026MESA+ contributes to European ecosystem for photonic chips
Wed 27 May 2026Nobel Prize-winning nanocrystals reveal unexpected property