Around 200 hundred budding scientists, both young and young-at-heart, have stepped into the shoes (and lab coats!) of QIMR Berghofer researchers as part of Labs Unlocked, a headline event of the 2025 Brisbane World Science Festival.
Across a series of booked-out sessions, the visitors were guided through scientific experiments in QIMR Berghofer’s cutting-edge Education Lab.
The free workshops explored the field of genetics and how the secrets of DNA and our genes are helping scientists better understand disease and develop more effective treatments.
Visitors learned the tools and techniques used daily by Queensland’s leading scientists, including how to wield a pipette, use a microcentrifuge, and analyse DNA.
Each year, thousands of high school students take part in QIMR Berghofer’s renowned Education Program, but this was a rare chance for the wider community to go behind the scenes for a hands-on scientific experience.
This year also marks a major milestone with QIMR Berghofer celebrating 80 years of ground-breaking medical research, so Labs Unlocked visitors were given a snapshot of Queensland’s scientific history on their way into the lab of the future.