Recap: nextGen Science Workshops 2025

Connecting High School Classrooms with Molecular Genetics

On a weekday morning in spring, grade 7 and 8 students from the Africentric Alternative Middle School arrived at the University of Toronto’s Medical Sciences Building. They suited up in goggles and lab coats, practiced pipetting with food dye, and simulated DNA genotyping, many for the first time in a university lab. 

The full-packed day was part of nextGen, a series of science workshops hosted by the Department of Molecular Genetics. This year’s program ran four in-person sessions—on April 24, 25, May 1, and May 2—each one designed to give Toronto students a hands-on introduction to molecular biology and genetic testing. More importantly, the program’s goal is to invite students to imagine themselves in spaces they may not have considered before.  

More than a one-off experience, the program aims to make science feel accessible. Each session brought together 20 to 35 students, mainly from BIPOC, female and priority schools, in collaboration with teachers from the Toronto District and Toronto Catholic District School Boards. Students came from across the city, including North York, Scarborough, and the west end. 

Each session opened with a lecture by Dr. Martina Steiner, assistant professor in the department. She introduced the science of DNA testing and focused on sickle cell anemia, laying the groundwork for students to understand how genetics connects to real-world health challenges. 

“I felt like I belonged when we were in the lecture hall listening to the lesson on PCR and restriction enzymes. said Amanda Simporiano, “It was awesome how the presenter talked about a real-life situation. 

From there, students moved into the wet lab, where they learned how to pipette, load DNA into gels, and examine blood smears under a microscope. The activities were led by Dr. Ashley Campbell, a recent PhD graduate from the Frappier Lab, who coordinated the sessions to connect textbook concepts with real-world research tools. 

 “It was really cool to go into a real lab and use the micropipette to do gel electrophoresis,” said Olive Mgbudom. “We just learned about how the process works, and then we got to do it in real life. 

Graduate mentors from the Molecular Genetics and Medical Genomics programs, including Victoria Taylor, Tyanna Supreme, Connie Fierro, Caleb Galbraith, and Beata Cohan, shared their research journeys and helped students troubleshoot experiments. Tao Liang and Artur Jakubowski of the Division of Teaching Labs provided technical support. 

“What surprised me about being in the lab was how many resources there are,” said Emmanual Folorunso. “It helped me see what some of the labs would be like if medicine is something I want to go into.”  It helped that the mentors were there to assist us.” 

Aligned with Ontario’s science curriculum, the workshops were designed to connect classroom learning with real-world lab work. By combining curriculum-relevant content with university-level tools, the series gave students a rare opportunity to engage directly with molecular genetics. 

Combined with a strong emphasis on mentorship, the series gave students a rare opportunity to experience what scientific research looks like up close. 

At James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic High School, science teacher Teresa Brancatella said the workshops gave her students something the classroom could not provide.

“They needed to use their scientific knowledge and literacy skills to understand the case study, use newly learned genetic information, and apply it in the lab with real researchers,” Ms Brancatella explained. “We do not have any equipment within our school that would allow students to do any gel electrophoresis experiments or analysis. 

By offering hands-on lab activities and guided instruction, nextGen helped students build practical skills and see that opportunities in science can be within reach.

Acknowledgments

The nextGen Science Workshops were made possible through the collective efforts of many. Special thanks to Dr. Ashley Campbell for leading the lab sessions, Dr. Martina Steiner for delivering the introductory lectures, and our graduate mentors, Victoria Taylor, Connie Fierro, Caleb Galbraith, and Beata Cohan, for guiding students through the experiments. We’re also grateful to Tao Liang and Artur Jakubowski of the Division of Teaching Labs for their technical support, and to the many teachers across the TDSB and TCDSB who helped bring their students to campus.

—Marcia Iglesias, Coordinator, nextGen Science Workshops