Catastrophic Bleeding: Learning Life-Saving Skills

Science Week at the CUC began with an engaging and vital workshop on treating catastrophic bleeding. Led by Joe Benson, an expert who has trained professionals in the police and armed forces, KS4 students were given hands-on training in our state-of-the-art Health Simulation Suite. The session taught students how to assess and manage life-threatening injuries, equipping them with crucial first-aid skills that could one day help save a life.

 Raising Awareness of Antimicrobial Resistance with the Baltic Research Institute

On Tuesday, Year 12 students from the Baltic Research Institute (BRI) took the lead in educating younger students on the growing issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Through a series of interactive activities, including a germ simulation using hand gel, a bacterial resistance model with Orbeez, and a high-energy dodgeball game, students learned about the responsible use of antibiotics.

The activities were met with enthusiasm and curiosity, and students demonstrated a strong understanding of AMR by the end of the session. The BRI team will now adapt these activities to educate primary school students, ensuring this vital message continues to spread.

Exploring STEM Careers at Liverpool Hope University

A group of Year 10 Engineering students had the opportunity to attend the ‘Experience of the Workplace’ event at Hope University, hosted by All About STEM. The day was packed with sessions from industry leaders, including Liverpool City Region Freeport, Knowsley Safari Park, and biotech company CSL Seqirus.

Students engaged in practical tasks such as designing a new trainer, managing a virtual zoo, and learning about careers in international logistics, apprenticeships, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. This insightful experience provided students with valuable knowledge about future STEM career pathways.

Biomedical Science Masterclass at the University of Liverpool

Our A-level Biology students participated in an engaging Biosciences Masterclass at the University of Liverpool, where they were introduced to advanced scientific techniques used in real-world research.

Students participated in some activities designed to introduce them to techniques and equipment used by biosciences researchers including loading an electrophoresis gel, which is used to separate DNA fragments depending on size. Students also assessed the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs by observing cancer cells down a microscope before and after drug administration and using a differential uptake dye, which enabled them to see if the cells were killed by the drug. 

In the afternoon students heard about student life at Liverpool University, and how funding and bursaries can help. We also saw some fantastic fluorescence images of cells, including videos showing neurones growing into a neural network. Finally, students learnt about the use of C. elegans, a small worm, as a model organism and how studies of movement in C. elegans has impacted epilepsy research.

 

Unilever #BrightFuture Inspire Celebration & Awards Day

Our IGNITE students showcased their creativity and scientific skills at the Unilever Aspire Programme finals, presenting innovative personal care products. Over the last few months our students have been creating a personal care product focussed on innovation, sustainability and total product design. Competing against other schools, our two teams impressed industry professionals, with one team winning the Best Innovation 2025 Award for their Cool Comfort cooling stick, designed to support menopausal women. Their success demonstrated both scientific ingenuity and an ability to address real-world challenges.

Congratulations to all of our students and our scientists of the future.

Science Showcase: A Grand Finale

To conclude British Science Week, The CUC held a Showcase with some of the amazing projects from students. Some of the ideas these young scientists, engineers, creatives and tech students have are incredible and we were blown away by the way they presented them.

The project ideas included an eco-stove for sustainable, cleaner cooking in developing countries, a self-guided life-saving rope to help people in trouble in the water, amazing computer game concepts including superb artwork and back stories and a lamp powered by bioluminescent dinoflagellates.

Several groups had been working on a great project with The Institute for Research in Schools, Game Rangers International and David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) where they have analysed GPS tracking data on orphaned elephants raised, released and tracked in Kafue National Park in Zambia. They have used Google Earth Pro, Excel and their artistic skills to visualise the movements of an orphaned elephant called Musolole. It was a perfect end to a wonderful week celebrating Science and fills us with hope for the future to see passionate, enthusiastic and insightful young people presenting their creative ideas for using science and tech to solve problems. 

The showcase was a perfect end to an inspiring week, highlighting the immense talent and passion of our students. We look forward to seeing how these projects develop and to an even bigger Science Showcase on Wednesday 30th April, where students from our partner primary schools in the Northern Schools Trust will join us. 

British Science Week at Liverpool Life Sciences UTC was an unforgettable experience, celebrating scientific exploration and innovation. A huge well done to all students and staff who made it such a success.