The IiSGM opens its laboratories to the public on the occasion of the European Researchers’ Night

The Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM) has organised various activities to promote scientific outreach on the occasion of the Noche Europea de los Investigadores de Madrid. To this end, it invited citizens to learn about the work carried out at the healthcare centre through visits to its laboratories and explanations of its activities in various talks.

This is the fifteenth edition of this project, promoted by the Consejería de Educación, Ciencia y Universidades de la Comunidad de Madrid and coordinated by the Fundación madri+d. This initiative aims to support researchers’ careers by highlighting the role they play and the importance of their work for the wellbeing of society.

The IiSGM maintains a strategy of outreach and engagement with society regarding scientific culture, while providing citizens with the opportunity to learn about the research work carried out by its professionals. To this end, it is promoting the lines of research conducted at the Marañón through various channels and is joining activities promoted by other institutions to teach science both inside and outside the hospital’s own facilities.

On this occasion, the activities included a talk on the importance of infections associated with biofilms suffered by some patients. Alongside this, attendees were able to visit the Microbiology laboratory, where they could see bacterial cultures and learn about the measures that must be taken before entering the microbiological culture room.

Another presentation provided an insight into the foundations of human genetics and the mechanisms through which genetic alterations affect health. In addition to learning about the various genetic techniques and their application in medicine, citizens were able to see and learn about the Philadelphia chromosome, the first genetic alteration described in history to be associated with a tumour, chronic myeloid leukaemia, and visit the Haematological Genetics laboratory.