Students have been given a head start on advanced biology after a day dissecting the brain’s function and forensics.
Year 12 pupils at Barnard Castle School put their own brains to the test in a packed programme of neuroscience lectures and practical sessions with Dr Guy Sutton, director of Medical Biology Interactive and assistant professor at the University of Nottingham.
The day began with a session in the new school’s sixth form centre on basic brain anatomy, methods used to study the brain and to carry out brain surgery, followed by the chance to analyse a sheep’s brain.
It continued with Dr Sutton explaining some of the most recent research being carried out into brain damage and frontal lobe disorders, Alzheimer’s, neurocriminology, neuroplasticity and the bionic brain.
After lunch the students had an introduction to forensic science, DNA analysis and forensic pathology and neuropathology.
Head of biology Rebecca Gibson, who recently joined Barnard Castle School, said: ‘Dr Sutton did a very interesting session at my previous school so I was very keen to have him come here and share his specialist knowledge, which is of huge benefit to students.
“The majority of our Year 12 students will follow their AS course by continuing biology in Year 13 and this session is an excellent introduction to the A2 syllabus next year.”