More than 1.000 students discover hospital research at the inHos Science Fair in Picanya
- Picanya hosted its first European Researchers’ Night on 24 and 25 September as part of the European inHos project
- Around 80 researchers from IIS La Fe and the Research Foundation of Valencia University General Hospital took part alongside professionals from Picanya Health Centre
The inHos Science Fair turned Picanya into a meeting point for hospital research, the educational community, families and local residents on 24 and 25 September. The initiative brought together around 80 researchers and introduced more than 1.000 Primary and Secondary school students from Torrent, Paterna, Picanya and Valencia to biomedical and hospital-based research.
The event formed part of inHos, the European project led by the Health Research Institute La Fe, IIS La Fe, which aims to bring hospital research closer to society and encourage citizen participation in science.
During the mornings of the two-day event, students from registered schools followed a programme of scientific workshops based on experiments, simulations, challenges and interactive activities.
Through these sessions, students explored blood cells, investigated DNA, discovered how the brain works and learned about the role of biobanks in biomedical research. They also explored the world of microorganisms and bacteriophages, learned about cancer research and discovered how new medicines are developed.
The activities were delivered by teams from IIS La Fe and the Research Foundation of Valencia University General Hospital, together with professionals from Picanya Health Centre.
The morning programme also included Clowntifics, a science comedy show by Big Van Ciencia. The performance, aimed at Primary school pupils, was held at the Picanya Cultural Centre.
The inHos Science Fair brought hospital research closer to more than 1.000 Primary and Secondary school students.
On the afternoon of Friday 25 September, the inHos Science Fair opened its activities to families and the general public at Plaça del País Valencià in Picanya. More than 400 people took part in six interactive spaces designed to connect hospital research with everyday life.
One of these spaces was “Science Consultation: small actions that look after your health”, delivered by professionals from Picanya Health Centre. The activity explained how cardiovascular risk is assessed and how vaccines and antibiotics work, among other topics related to prevention and healthcare.
The programme also offered visitors the opportunity to follow the journey of a biopsy through to its observation under a microscope, practise cardiopulmonary resuscitation, identify potential sources of exposure to endocrine disruptors and learn how the effects of radiation are studied.
Visitors could also discover some of the applications of artificial intelligence in medical imaging.
The programme included the EU Corner, “European science, local impact”, a space dedicated to explaining the role of the European Union in supporting research, funding scientific projects and promoting research careers.
The afternoon continued with “Science on Stage”, a series of short public talks on neutrophils, menopause, scientific misinformation, immunotherapy, mental health, radiation and the role of animals in scientific research.
The Science Fair was part of inHos, the European project led by IIS La Fe that aims to bring hospital research closer to society.
The choice of Picanya, in l’Horta Sud, reflected the project’s aim of taking the European Researchers’ Night beyond major cities and bringing the initiative to a municipality affected by the floods of 2024.
The event also helped strengthen the relationship between hospital research and residents in an area closely connected to IIS La Fe through the healthcare provided to its patients.
Over the next two years, inHos will develop a programme of science communication, science education and citizen participation focused on hospital research. The project will introduce new activities, initiatives and developments designed to encourage dialogue between researchers, healthcare professionals and society.
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