A-level students learn cutting-edge cancer research skills
The Cancer Research UK City of London Centre opens its doors to the next generation of cancer researchers this summer (Monday 7- Thursday 17 July).
Over fifty A-level science students will get hands-on laboratory experience at the Barts Cancer Institute, UCL and KCL as part of the STARS programme.
The Science Training for Aspiring Research Scientists (STARS) programme has been designed for teenagers from schools with historically low university admissions. The programme gives participants a taste of life as a cancer researcher, connects them with current PhD students, and provides information and tips on university applications.
STARS was launched in 2013 by Professor John Marshall at the Barts Cancer Institute (BCI), Queen Mary University of London. The BCI forms part of the CRUK City of London Centre, which exists to foster collaboration between cancer scientists there and at UCL, KCL and The Francis Crick Institute.
STARS has been funded by the CRUK City of London Centre since 2023, and in 2024 it expanded to include placements at UCL and KCL.
Professor John Marshall, Professor of Tumour Biology at the BCI and STARS lead said:
“It’s always a privilege to spend the week with our STARS students. These curious, enthusiastic young people have so much to offer, but the path to studying science at university can be full of challenges. By offering them inspiration and guidance, I hope that the STARS programme will be a launchpad into fruitful and meaningful careers.”
Each STARS group will experience a unique programme of activities that reflects the strengths and interests of the institute hosting their placement.
Leveraging the advantage of dedicated teaching labs, the BCI STARS will learn how to perform different cell and molecular biology experiments. This will include growing cancer cells, labelling cancer sections and purifying and analysing DNA.
At UCL, this year’s programme sees students taking a deep dive into the use of therapies to boost the body’s own immune system to fight glioblastoma, the most common brain cancer in adults. The students will explore how glioblastoma could be tackled using CAR T cell therapy, a cutting edge treatment to engineer the body’s own immune cells to recognise and fight cancer more effectively.
Over at KCL, students will visit the Gordon Museum of Pathology, and spend time in the lab analysing DNA damage in colorectal cancer cells treated with chemotherapeutic agents. They will also meet scientists from a range of career paths and stages, including medical students, lab technicians and clinical trials coordinators.
The STARS students are mentored and taught by current PhD students, who are able to offer real-world careers advice. For these mentors, STARS provides an opportunity to develop their communication and teaching skills, and see their work in a new light.
Gonzalo Mercado, a PhD student in immuno-oncology at the UCL Cancer Institute and STARS demonstrator, said:
“I’m delighted to be involved in the STARS programme for a second year – initiatives like this can transform participants’ career aspirations. As a demonstrator, teaching these gifted students takes me back to the essence of scientific research, which makes it such a rewarding and thought-provoking experience.”
The CRUK City of London Centre has a commitment to championing equality, diversity and inclusion in scientific research. STARS participants are selected from schools across London by the Mayor’s Fund for London, a charity that champions opportunities for young Londoners facing the biggest barriers.