The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) of the University of Macau (UM) organised the Health Sciences Summer Camp, which attracted nearly 70 senior secondary students from 34 schools in Macao. Through interactive learning, the camp allowed the participants to acquire the latest biomedical knowledge and research skills under the guidance of the faculty members and students in FHS, thus igniting their passion for scientific research.

At the opening ceremony, Shen Hanming, associate dean of FHS, and Chen Guokai, director of the Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute (ZUMRI), encouraged the students to actively participate in the activities and gain knowledge from the process. Poon Chuen Wai, associate professor in FHS, introduced the students to the basics of biomedicine, its applications and new technologies, as well as the latest research progress and achievements of FHS.

Under the theme ‘BIO-Dectective’, the summer camp covered the basics of biomedicine, the latest research findings, and the application of related technologies, such as genetic identification and animal modelling. Under the guidance of FHS members, students had the opportunity to conduct hands-on experiments, gaining valuable experience and deepening their understanding of scientific knowledge.

Choi Meng Ieong, a student from The International School of Macao, found the theme ‘BIO-Dectective’ of the summer camp interesting. He acted as a detective and used his newly acquired knowledge and genetic identification techniques to find the ‘culprit’, which gave him a great sense of achievement. Yip Chi San, a student from Yuet Wah College, said that through the summer camp, she learned that comparing DNA sequences can help identify the differences between patients and healthy individuals, which can help doctors find the causes of diseases. Ngai I Cheng, a student from the Sacred Heart Canossian College, learned that every step in an experiment has to be carried out meticulously, and that researchers not only need to acquire extensive knowledge but also need to practice operating laboratory equipment. Tam Weng Io, a student from Chan Sui Ki Perpetual Help College, said that the summer camp helped her understand the differences between dry and wet laboratory research, and that not all researchers need to go to the laboratory to conduct experiments, as some research tasks can be done on computers.

FHS organises regular science outreach activities to give students the opportunity to learn biomedical knowledge and technology, and to stimulate their interest in scientific research so that they can pursue their dreams of exploring the mysteries of life with enthusiasm and a spirit of scientific inquiry.