The third edition of the IRBLleida-"la Caixa" Foundation science education programme to bring biomedical research closer to young people gets under way

For the third consecutive year, the Lleida region will have the IRBLleida-"la Caixa" Foundation science education programme to bring biomedical research closer to young people. This programme was created with the aim of encouraging scientific vocations and raising awareness of research in the region. In this edition, it includes the organisation of 14 scientific workshops and 6 grants for high school students to spend a stay at the IRBLleida.

The scientific workshop 'The revolution of antibodies' has the dual objective of promoting scientific vocations among young people aged 12 to 16 and, at the same time, to raise awareness of biomedical research for the benefit of the population. The workshop is made up of a more informative part and a second part, in which the students carry out a practical workshop following the scientific method. A participatory dynamic on the fight against pathogens and the different phases of the immune system, a reflective game on the importance of vaccines.

In relation to the grants for high school students, the programme includes a grant for 6 first-year high school students from the Lleida area to spend a month at the IRBLleida.

Thanks to the IRBLleida-"la Caixa" Foundation science education programme, over the last two school years, nearly 1,300 young people aged 12 to 16 from 13 schools in the Lleida area took part in a science workshop at IRBLleida.

Thanks to its territorial capillarity, CaixaBank's branch network, the largest in Spain with a presence in 2,200 municipalities, can detect local needs and support the "la Caixa" Foundation in channelling financial aid to social organisations. In 2022, CaixaBank branches helped to promote 5,624 social projects from 5,041 organisations.