Making edible blood, building a stethoscope and exploding a baking soda heart will be features of the heart chamber pumping with kids’ activities at the biggest ever Hunter Medical Research Institute Open Day on October 7.
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Organisers are expecting more than 3000 people to attend the open day being held at the HMRI Building on the John Hunter Hospital campus.
HMRI Director Professor Michael Nilsson said a huge variety of interactive events have been planned to suit all ages and interests and to open minds and imaginations to science, health and well-being in the Hunter.
“HMRI was built by the community, for the community, so the open day is an excellent way of showcasing the incredible range of world-class research being done in the Hunter ... from cancer to asthma and stroke to healthy eating,” Professor Nilsson said.
“There will be booths, research sessions, science activities and lab tours taking place throughout the day, and hopefully we can stimulate a passion for science among the young and young at heart.”
The heart chamber, a new feature for the open day, will reveal the ins and outs of the human heart.
Another all-day activity is the creepy crawly bugs exhibit, highlighting the microscopic bacteria that live in the human body and giving kids the chance to climb through slime, armed with a torch.
The Crazy Inventions Laboratory, Making Neurons activity, and Healthy Kids Football Clinic are also expected to be a hit.
For older students there is a ‘Day in the Life of a Medical Researcher’ talk while younger ones have the chance to become an honorary 'scientist' and get their photo taken with the resident Mad Scientist.
There are Q&A-style discovery seminars on healthy ageing, stroke, cancer, heart health and the future of medicine.
The public can tour the laboratories throughout the HMRI building and visit more than 30 expo displays covering conditions ranging from chronic pain to dementia and lung function.
The open day will run from 10am to 4pm and there will be shuttle buses out of Hunter Stadium running every half hour from 8.30am.
hmri.org.au/open-day