Children’s University - How does an organism form?

Stephan Grill talks in front of 500 curious kids

© MPI-CBG

Stephan Grill, biophysicist at the TU Dresden Biotechnological Centre (BIOTEC) and director at the MPI-CBG, opened the summer term of the Dresden Children’s University on April 2, 2019. Around 550 children in the age of 8 to 12 investigated questions like: How does an organism form? Every living being consists of millions of cells - How do all these cells know where to go and what to do? How can cells form organs or for example a hand? Grill vividly explained how cells connect and how they exert forces in order to organise themselves and bring a set of cells and tissues into the right shape. Using the example of a fly, a fish, and a worm, he illustrated the similarity between growing organisms and a piece of modelling clay: in contrast to modelling clay, living organisms can form completely independently. As thank you from the crowd, Stephan received thunderous applause, many questions, and autograph requests.