I'm a Scientist

I’m a Scientist is like school science lessons meet the X Factor! School students choose which scientist gets a prize of £500 to communicate their work. Scientists and students talk on this website. They both break down barriers, have fun and learn. But only the students get to vote.

This is the Cells Zone. It has a range of scientists studying all different topics. Who gets the prize? YOU decide!

The Cells Zone is funded by the British Society for Cell Biology, which exists to advance research in all branches of cell biology and to encourage the interchange of information.

A nerve cell (green) grown from cells in the lab. Image by Gerry Shaw for Wikimedia

Cells are the basic building blocks of all living things, acting like mini-compartments for biological equipment.

Our bodies are made up of roughly 100 trillion cells and hundreds of different types of cells make up the different parts of our bodies. Nerve cells send and receive electrical signals traveling around the body at 20mph! And muscle cells allow us to move and keep our heart beating.

Cancer is caused when cells go rogue. They break the rules about when they should grow and multiply until they are out of control.

Put an onion under the microscope and you’ll see how it’s cells fit together like bricks. Image by Kaibara87 for Wikimedia

Scientists are now growing cells outside of the human body, in the lab. By creating the right conditions they’re able to grow whole organs from just a few cells. Scientists have already grown bladders, hearts, kidneys and even a jawbone. It’s hoped in the future that growing these organs could help treat illness and injuries.