The programme was led by Dr Alireza Alidoust, Senior Scientist and Fermentation Manager at the Francis Crick Institute, and Dr Azadeh Kia, Vice President of Research at Beacon Therapeutics.

The students attended three workshop sessions. They explored how modern biotechnology, focusing on gene therapy, interacts with economics and business to create medical start-ups. Dr Azadeh Kia shared her work around gene therapy for retinal diseases with the students, taking their GCSE learning surrounding genetic diseases and drug development beyond the syllabus.
The students then worked together to take on the role of a venture capital investment committee to review three gene therapy scenarios and make a decision on which one they would invest in. Our spokesperson then explained to the other students the decisions behind their choice of gene therapy to back.

It was a real pleasure to see our students bring business skills and biological understanding together, their thorough approach to the task really impressed me. A big thank you to Tonbridge School for the opportunity.

Read more about the event here.

Miss Myers, Subject Leader Biology