School projects of the Cluster of Excellence PMI
PMI school program
In collaboration with the Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN), the PMI Cluster of Excellence is developing an innovative school program that aims to integrate current medical research as well as more general health education about chronic diseases and a healthy lifestyle into the school curriculum. Schools are involved as partners in the development process in order to enable the effective transfer of knowledge. The aim is to get pupils interested in modern medical research and promote their understanding of health issues.
Experiment kits
In order to support and promote experimental learning, the Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN) is developing experimental kits based on PMI research topics that teachers can borrow free of charge for use in the classroom. They contain materials for modern, well-tested school experiments.
There are already kits and accompanying specialist material on the subject of antibiotic resistance in cystic fibrosis. The teaching materials can be found here and the experiment kits can be ordered from Mareike Wendorff at the IPN.
A further kit dealing with the topic of Nutrition and Health is in the making.
Dermatopia - skin expedition
With this game course, primary school children (recommended age: 8-12 years) learn more about skin, skin diseases and allergies through play. With the help of an audio pen, each station is explained to the children and an introductory story prepares them for the skin expedition. The game was developed by Prof. Regina Fölster-Holst, an expert in pediatric dermatology, together with students from the Muthesius Academy of Fine Arts and Design. The game can be borrowed by schools for use in lessons or projects.
Student laboratories
The PMI Cluster of Excellence works together with several school student laboratories at various locations. School groups can come here and carry out experiments that cannot be done in schools due to the lack of the required equipment or staffing. Teacher training is also offered.
The Kieler life:labor as a sub-unit of the “Kieler Forschungswerkstatt” offers experiments on the topics of ‘Epigenetic changes in ulcerative colitis’, ‘Escherichia coli - facets of a model organism’ and ‘What influence does epigenetics have on life’. In addition, teachers were trained for project-based learning (profile seminar) in June 2024; the topics "Sensory Science in Medicine" and "Health and Nutrition" were developed in collaboration with PMI.
The LoLa open laboratory in Lübeck, in cooperation with the Cluster of Excellence PMI, offers a course on "Mechanisms of inflammatory processes ", as well as other courses with mainly a genetic focus.
The School laboratory at the Borstel Research Center offers experiments on the topics of bacteria, acid build-up through sugary foods, genetics, enzymes and chromatography.
School science days
On 24 September 2024, Cluster board member Prof. Matthias Laudes from the UKSH will host the very first Kiel Nutrition Day. The event introduces pupils to the subject of nutritional medicine.
Members of the cluster also participate in Kiel University’s Darwin Day. Since 2009, pupils have been able to gain insights into the latest research topics and results and have had the opportunity to interact with scientists and researchers.
Extracurricular learning
PMI also supports extracurricular activities such as competitions to encourage pupils to engage with scientific or medical topics outside the classroom.
In the 17 for MINT school competition (previously called "Yes! MINT"), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, pupils in grades 7-9 work together with researchers to develop their own problem analysis and vision of regional and global challenges based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. Since the start of the competition in 2021, the Cluster of Excellence PMI has also been represented with a health-related topic. In 2021, for example, the topic was "Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases - sustainable treatment of patients through precision medicine?". In 2024, the focus will be on models in medicine, amongst other things.
