About 45 students from Thuringian schools took part in the UniStem Day 2019. Prof. Dr. Florian Heidel spoke about the medical application of stem cells, for example in the treatment of leukemia. FLI group leader Dr. Julia von Maltzahn gave the students an insight into her research on muscle stem cells. As a long-standing member of the German Ethics Council, Prof. Dr. Frank Emmrich reported on the ethical debate on stem cells. The students then discussed ethical concerns about stem cell research in a role playing. Like other research institutions and universities in Germany, the FLI took part in the outreach event on stem cell research for the fourth time.
On UniStem Day 2019, more than 30,000 students from 99 research institutions worldwide met to discuss the role of stem cells in research and medical applications together with researchers. The worldwide UniStem Day takes place every year in March. The event is an opportunity to foster learning, discovery and debate in the field of stem cell research, thus representing a way to stimulate interest in science among the younger generation. This year, in addition to research institutions in European countries as Italy, Poland and Portugal, institutes in Singapore, Colombia and Australia participated for the first time.
