The high school outreach program of the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens was established in 2004 and takes place throughout each academic year. With enthusiasm and dedication, BRFAA researchers host students in their lab and share their knowledge and experience. Tens of reseachers of all levels, along with PhD Candidates, Technicians and Students of BRFAA contribute to the success of this Program.

Active Members: Panos Politis, Investigator Zoe Cournia, Investigator Stamatis Pagakis, Research Scientist Dimitris Gkikas, Post-doctoral Fellow Vania Tsata, Post-doctoral Fellow Ieronimos Zoidakis, Visiting Scientist Themistoklis Gkion, Designer of Learning Experiences

The program includes:

• Presentations of impressive biomedical achievements with direct applications in daily life
• Demonstrations of experiments based on the high school curriculum, aiming to bridge theory with practice.
• Discussions on education choices at the University level, to facilitate informed decision making.
• Overview of career paths that can be combined with Biology and what each one entails.
• Descriptions of a Researcher life.
• Laboratory tour at the cutting-edge facilities of BRFAA.

During its first 15 years the High School Outreach Program has hosted over 5,000 students and 200 teachers from tens of Public and Private school from across Greece. For its contribution to Secondary Education, it has received two awards from the American Society of Human Genetics and the Panhellenic Bioscientists Association. 

Despina Sanoudou, PhD, FACMG CIbiol Affiliated Investigator Molecular Biology Division Organizer and Coordinator of the High School Outreach Program Associate Professor, Medical School, University of Athens email: dsanoudou@bioacademy.gr