The Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) Office of the University of Illinois Cancer Center had a dynamic presence at the UIC Open House Expo on Saturday, September 21, 2024! It was a fun-filled day with games, music, interactive sessions and resource tables hosted by several UIC departments and programs.
Interested high school students and their families stopped by the CRTEC information table to discuss the Cancer Center’s summer research programs: Cancer Health Equity Summer Scholars (CHESS) and ResearcHStart. Current community college students also stopped by to learn about undergraduate biomedical summer programs: the Diversity in Cancer Research (DICR) internship and the ChicagoCHEC Summer Fellowship. CRTEC Trainee Advisory Council member and MSTP student, Kate Alexander also answered questions about medical school and bench science research from curious students.
The CRTEC team partnered with the UIC Neighborhood Center – Auburn Gresham Office and Duncan Wardrop, PhD, to offer lab tours in the UIC Wardrop Research Group lab, giving high school students, parents and community members from the Auburn Gresham community an exclusive look at cutting-edge cancer research in action. The UIC Wardrop Research Group lab is focused on organic chemistry, specifically on developing new strategies and methods for the efficient synthesis of highly functionalized natural products and compounds with beneficial pharmacological properties.
In addition, the CRTEC team led interactive tours through CECIL: Colon Cancer Education in the Community to Improve Learning—our inflatable colon exhibit —to raise awareness about colon cancer prevention and the importance of early detection.
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Karen Colley, PhD, and the UIC Mascot Sparky were a few that got a tour of the CECIL.
It was an impactful experience for attendees, highlighting our commitment to both educational outreach and community health initiatives. We were honored to be part of this incredible event, which welcomed over 6,000 visitors to the UIC campus!