The Bioengineering Experience

By Tina Chowdhury May 4, 2017 General

Children from state and independent schools took  part in real research activities at the Institute of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Materials Science.

Year 6 children from St Joseph’s in the Park, Albury and Wheatcroft Primary School took part in bioengineering research at the School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London.

The children learnt about the knee joint and why mechanical forces were important in helping the cartilage tissues grow and stay healthy.

The children watched Dr Reshma Tilwani dissect cartilage from a bovine knee joint. The children learnt why the cells called chondrocytes like to be squashed (compressed or exercise) to keep them healthy and stay alive.
I showed examples of biomaterials that are used to fill holes in cartilage and dental defects. The children made a biomaterial out of sugar. Depending on how soft or hard they are, the biomaterial looks like pink balls or beans

The children stretched fetal membranes and examined why stretch is important in keeping the cells which protect the baby as she grows inside the mother’s womb healthy.

The children stretched fetal membranes and realised that the tissue is very stretchy. Dr David Barrett is leading the activity and has been investigating why some proteins make fetal membranes stretchy or become weak.
James Taylor helps the children to make biomaterials that are being used to treat cartilage diseases such as osteoarthritis. James is investigating ways to build 3D structures for tissue engineering cartilage and tracheal defects in babies with fetal stem cells
Mrs Jane Elson is Head of Science at St Joseph’s in the Park. She has taken part in the bioengineering experience for three years and been involved in several STEM activities at QMUL. Thank you Jane for your support
Dr Marta Godhino is stretching a tendon fasicle. She is investigating ways to prevent inflammation in the tendon
There was plenty of time for questions. For example, have you ever wondered what makes sugar strong?
Bioengineering Experience SEMS QMUL
The children work with the IOB scientists in our new state of the art engineering and materials facilities worth £38, 000, 000.

The best things about the bioengineering experience…

  • “Meeting the scientists work in real life”
  • “Crushing the cartilage”
  • “Going to a lab”
  • “I got to see new things”
  • “Fun, interesting, gross!”
  • “We got to make materials to replace cartilage”

Quotes from the children:


“Your speech, combined with the stations at Queen Mary, has lit a fire of inspiration inside me. In ten years, I could be creating the next technology for bioengineering. Who knows? I know.
I know that in ten years, I will be engineering the machines responsible for growing cells.
I learnt that cells require that they be in similar conditions to where they are going to be. the cells will be stretched and squeezed by the machines”

Callum Scott, Whetcroft Primary School, Hertfordshire.

“It felt like an honour to be invited to Queen Mary University of London. The doctors, biologists and engineers, whose talks were inspiriring and engaging, carried out some phenominal experiments that may be I would like to try one day. Queen May was a trip I will never forget, even if i tried (although of course, I never will).”

Jasmine, Whetcroft Primary School, Hertfordshire

“My favourite part was when the scientists cut open the cows foot. I found it interesting and I learnt lots. I also enjoyed your talk at St Joseph’s in the Park. It made me think that I could be a scientist if I wanted to  as you explained that when you were younger, you did not even know what a bioengineer was – you really inpsired me.”

Sophie Appleyard, Whetcroft Primary School, Hertfordshire

“After we were invited to St Joseph’s in the Park to attend the science event, I loved all the speeches that the scientists produced. However, your one was the best. If I were to go on this trip again, I wouldn’t change anything.”

Connor Allen, Whetcroft Primary School, Hertfordshir

Enormous thanks to all the children for taking part in the bioengineering experience.

Bioengineering Experience SEMS QMUL

And huge thanks to the children from Wheatcroft Primary School for taking part for the very first time. I really enjoyed your thank you letters – it has been a pleasure to work with you.

The Bioengineering Experience – See you next year !