A high school teacher has described bringing her students into the labs at Children’s Medical Research Institute as an unbelievable experience.

A large of students from Gungahlin College in Canberra recently travelled up to Sydney to learn more about the work of CMRI’s Stem Cell Medicine Group.

Gungahlin College’s Associate Principal – Teaching and Learning Maha Yasin said the school had been teaching stem cell science for many years but noticed that the students were disconnected.

“I noticed they were disengaging through static learning so I looked at where we could go to see stem cell work in action,’’ Ms Yasin said.

“The students just weren’t understanding what I was talking about because they couldn’t visualise it– it is about going beyond the classroom.’’

The students were split into groups and taken through various parts of the stem cell labs and facilities, shown what the cells looked like on computer screens and microscopes.

Stem Cell Medicine Group head Dr Anai Gonzalez Cordero talked to the students about the journey from high school science to studying science for a career and the opportunities it created.

“It was really unbelievable working with CMRI,’’ Ms Yasin said. “Everyone has been so accommodating of our visit. I knew it would be good, but I didn’t think it would be this good.’’

Gungahlin College immediately signed up to do Jeans for Genes Day on August 4 so they could fundraise for the research and Ms Yasin said the visit had opened up the students’ minds to a career in science.