On March 6, the University of Vermont Cancer Center’s new Outreach and Education Van, with its onboard BioMobile Research Lab, visited the Lyndon Institute, where high school students in honors biology partnered with UVM researchers to study how chemotherapy affects cells, according to the Caledonian Record. Each group selected a part of the cell, such as DNA or microtubules, to investigate more closely. The BioMobile team visited for an initial consultation and will return later this month with fluorescent microscopes, giving students the opportunity to study rare cancer cells. Partnerships like this help connect students with real-world research and expand opportunities to explore careers in science.

a person looking into a microscope in a lab inside a van with work space and equipment
The UVM Cancer Center’s Outreach and Education Van features a full “BioMobile Discovery Lab”—complete with high-powered epifluorescence microscopes and other cancer research equipment. In tandem with its outreach mission, the program is spearheading STEM learning opportunities for rural students, who, studies show, are less likely to form a “science identity” and pursue careers in STEM. The Cancer Center team also will coordinate professional development opportunities for rural educators, as well as mentoring opportunities for students interested in STEM. (Photo: Andy Duback)

Read full story at the (Northeastern Vermont / Northern New Hampshire) Caledonian Record