The University of Edinburgh has created an interactive workshop to help promote knowledge about stem cell biology in schools.

The initiative is a product of the university’s The Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine, and involves Professor Sir Ian Wilmut, who created Dolly the sheep, the first cloned animal.

The University of Edinburgh has created an interactive workshop to help promote knowledge about stem cell biology in schools.

The initiative is a product of the university’s The Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine, and involves Professor Sir Ian Wilmut, who created Dolly the sheep, the first cloned animal.

Including a model of Dolly the Sheep, the road shows will include 40 interactive exhibits led by experts from the University.

Professor Wilmut commented: “Public engagement of science is very important and working with schools is a key element…road shows such as this can really make a difference in explaining what may seem like a very complicated subject.”

The workshops are being run as part of the University’s SCIFUN project, which aims to bring a greater understanding of scientific subjects to pupils in Edinburgh in advance of them choosing their Standard Grade subjects.

The number of pupils enrolling on science courses throughout the UK has remained low over the past few years.

The MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine leads much of the research done into medical therapies for diseases of the blood, bone, brain and liver, for which stem cell technology could provide effective treatment.