Little Flower Students Visit USA Health’s MCI

Middle schoolers at Little Flower Catholic School recently visited the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute (MCI) research wing. Dr. Marie Migaud, a professor of pharmacology at the University of South Alabama (USA) Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine and a researcher at MCI, said the group of 22 students in grades six through eight were mesmerized by their tour. The visit included a tour of the MCI research wing, where multiple researchers showcased tools used in their work. Students were shown how cells could be grown and counted using microscopes; how scientists use dyes to differentiate between healthy cells and cancer cells; how electron microscopy is used to observe different organelles in cells; how analytical instruments like mass spectrometry can measure chemical components in biological samples; and how different sciences, technologies and engineering come together to make research possible. “We want to inspire middle schoolers before they have made up their mind about science, medicine and research; share what it is; and why USA is a great place for it,” Migaud said. “It was a success all around!”