From the Bio4Dreams network, Labs4Edu was born, a project designed to enhance the teaching of biological sciences. This is achieved by setting up tailor-made biotech laboratories for schools. Indeed, providing students with hands-on lab experience increases engagement and curiosity, stimulating interest in pursuing studies in this field.

Labs4Edu was first introduced at Didacta 2023, a leading event in educational innovation. This project is the result of a collaboration between WonderGene and Labs2Life, both part of the Bio4Dreams network.

WonderGene is an SME specializing in genetic analysis and, in recent years, also in scientific communication and outreach with the ScienceUP project.

Labs2Life is a startup specialized in the design, creation, and management of research laboratories, including advanced ones.

Laboratories in all-inclusive kits for students and teachers

Labs4Edu provides schools with complete packages for setting up laboratories. These include equipment, reagents, educational kits (based on IBSE methodology)^[1], and training courses for teachers. The packages range from basic to advanced options, adapting to the diverse needs of schools.

Grazie a questi pacchetti, gli studenti possono sperimentare diverse attività di laboratorio. Queste includono elettroforesi su gel, analisi del DNA, studio delle proteine, caratterizzazione di batteri e virus, e l’uso di marcatori fluorescenti.

Thanks to these packages, students can engage in various laboratory activities. These include gel electrophoresis, DNA analysis, protein studies, characterization of bacteria and viruses, and the use of fluorescent markers.

Operationally, Labs2Life handles the setup of lab spaces with equipment, reagents, and experimental kits. Among these are the miniPCR devices produced by Amplyus, for which Labs2Life is the distributor in Italy. WonderGene, meanwhile, organizes training for teachers to properly conduct educational activities.

Bio4Dreams has provided support for the organizational and communication activities of the initiative.

Labs4Edu in numbers

Since its launch in March 2023, Labs4Edu has reached seven Italian regions, including Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, and Veneto. The project has equipped 17 high schools and trained about a hundred science teachers. In the 2023/2024 school year, approximately 9,500 students are experiencing this innovative approach to scientific education.

Labs4Edu is a #SuccessCase from the Bio4Dreams network. Indeed, it highlights how this context stimulates collaborations and synergies between the entities that are part of it, as in the case of WonderGene and Labs2Life.

To learn more about Lab4Edu, visit the project page.

[1] Inquiry-Based Science Education: it’s science education based on investigation, an inductive approach to teaching science that focuses on direct experience as the core of learning.