QIMR Berghofer opens its doors for Brisbane Open House

Members of the public will get the opportunity to step into the shoes of a research scientist when QIMR Berghofer opens its doors for Brisbane Open House this weekend.

The Institute will be open to the public from 10am until 3pm on Sunday 9 October.

There will be free, guided tours of the state-of-the-art facility every 30 minutes, leaving at quarter past and quarter to the hour.

The tours will be an opportunity to see a working laboratory inside the architect-designed QIMR Berghofer Central building. The 15-floor building is also home to the huge art installation Water Memory by acclaimed local artist Judy Watson.

Visitors can do some experiments in a laboratory to discover how DNA analysis can help predict future health. Participants must be at least 15 years old and must register in advance.

There will be activities for kids, including dressing up like a scientist.

Visitors can also hear about the latest research the institute is doing into the world’s deadliest animal – the mosquito – and why scientists are looking for potential cancer treatments in animal venom.

The full schedule for the day is:

10am – 3pm: Kids’ activity spot. Kids can dress up as a scientist, look at what’s under the microscope, and do some colouring in. Children must be supervised by a parent or carer at all times.

10am – 3pm: Microscopic discovery display. Explore basic microbiology by comparing healthy cells and cancer cells under the microscope.

10:15am – 2:15pm: Guided tours. All tour participants must wear enclosed footwear to enter laboratories.

11:00am – 11:30am: Science Talk: Things that Bite. Dr Jonathan Darbro from the QIMR Berghofer’s Mosquito Control Laboratory will discuss the latest research into mosquito-borne diseases. Dr Maria Ikonomopoulou will talk about her research looking for potential cancer treatments in animal venom.

11:30am – 12pm and 12:30pm – 1:10pm: Laboratory experiment: Genetics prac. Take part in an experiment in our Education Lab to discover how DNA analysis is a great tool to predict our illness and health. To register your place in one of these two sessions email events@qimrberghofer.edu.au by Friday 7 October. For safety reasons, participants must be 15 or over. Children 15 to 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Enclosed footwear must be worn.

The Institute’s address is 300 Herston Road, Herston. Parking is available in the multi-storey carpark opposite the institute on Herston Road.