On 11 August 2016, Science Centre AHHAA, in collaboration with researchers from the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology of the University of Tartu (namely with Mr Mart Loog and Mr Viljar Jaks and Ms Kersti Jääger), the Estonian Research Council, the science communication group Science Alive and specialists from the Union of Estonian Research Journalists organized a synthetic biology-themed panel discussions at the Estonian Festival of Opinion Culture held in the small Central Estonian town of Paide on the topic of designer cells. The panel discussion proved to be much appreciated by festival-goers, boasting between 80 and 100 participants who were asked about their biggest fears and expectations regarding the emerging scientific breakthroughs in the field of synthetic biology.

To make the discussion more attractive and to visualise the topics spoken about, AHHAA used a life-sized and lifelike autopsy doll for a hands-on necropsy demonstration featuring also some real (pigs’) organs. There were about 60 people enjoying the autopsy show, refusing to leave even when the hot sun turned into pouring rain. In the official press release of the Festival, the autopsy doll dissection was listed as one of the most spectacular moments of the entire event.

The Estonian national TV station, the Estonian Public Broadcasting company recorded both the synbio session as well as the dissection (available here in Estonian) and a radio show was cut and edited on the basis of the synbio discussion (available here).

Helin Haga,

Coordinator of External Funding, AHHAA

The session is funded by the EU-project SYNENERGENE, you can find more information about the project here.