Researchers from the Wales Cancer Research Centre (WCRC) recently ran an exciting and interactive session as part of the Sutton Trust Summer School – an initiative aimed at widening access to university for high-achieving students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Hosted at Cardiff University, the Sutton Trust Summer School offers Year 12 students a taste of university life through academic workshops, campus tours, and social activities. The programme gives participants valuable insights into different subject areas, helping to build confidence and aspirations for higher education.
As part of the life sciences strand, WCRC researchers Dr Mat Clement, Dr Jaya Vangara, and Dr Kate Liddiard led an interactive session on cancer research. Each researcher facilitated activities in small groups, giving aspiring medical students a close-up look at the diverse approaches used to tackle cancer.
Highlights included a hands-on strawberry DNA extraction, where students used household ingredients to isolate real DNA – a fun, accessible way to demystify molecular biology. The session also included a medical diagnosis game, challenging students to solve clinical puzzles and explore how research shapes healthcare decisions.
This interactive approach sparked discussion, critical thinking, and a deeper appreciation for the real-world impact of science. By combining active learning with authentic research, the WCRC team helped students imagine a future in biomedical science, while supporting the Sutton Trust’s mission to make higher education more accessible and inclusive.
WCRC Researcher Dr Mat Clement said: “This was a really engaging session and all the students were genuinely invested in what we were doing. It was great fun – hearing laughter from the ‘strawberries table’ was brilliant; it showed just how much they were enjoying themselves. Events like this are so important, not just to share what we do as researchers, but to show students that science is for everyone.”