Back to News Releases
Middle School Students Visit Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
for National Lab Day
Piscataway, NJ – Middle School Students from Shalom Torah Academy of Western Monmouth County visited research facilities at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in May for National Lab Day, a nationwide initiative to build local communities of support that will foster ongoing collaborations among volunteers, students and educators.
"The students' visit was an opportunity for young people to tour laboratory space, learn about what we do in research, and also learn about careers in science," said Aruni S. Arachchige Don, PhD, postdoctoral fellow of pharmacology, who coordinated the visit.
The visit began with a general overview of research at the medical school presented by Leroy Liu, PhD, professor and chair of Pharmacology, who also discussed his research in cancer biology and pharmacology. Students then heard from laboratory safety experts from the
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and 
Safety Services
at UMDNJ, who discussed hazards and precautions within research laboratories.
The students visit culminated with tours of laboratories within the medical school's Research Tower and Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine and of core research facilities that provide shared resources throughout the school. Faculty
members discussed their research in each of the labs and gave demonstrations as to how lab equipment was used in basic science investigations.
National Lab Day was held nationally for the first time on May 12. It aims to inspire a wave of future innovators and foster U.S. competitiveness by
improving the quality STEM education in America. A collaboration between government and more
than 200 public- and private-sector organizations, National Lab Day will connect students in grades 6-12 to hands-on learning experiences and promote tinkering in laboratory settings. National Lab Day will promote hands-on learning throughout the year and
culminate each year with
special events the first week of May.
About UMDNJ-ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON MEDICAL SCHOOL
As one of the nation’s leading comprehensive medical schools, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in education, research, health care delivery, and the promotion of community health. In cooperation with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, the medical school’s principal affiliate, they comprise New Jersey’s premier academic medical center. In addition, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has 34 other hospital affiliates and ambulatory care sites throughout the region.
As one of the eight schools of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey with 2,800 full-time and volunteer faculty, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School encompasses 22 basic science and clinical departments, hosts centers and institutes including The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the Child Health Institute of New Jersey, the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, and the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey. The medical school maintains educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels for more than 1,500 students on its campuses in New Brunswick, Piscataway, and Camden, and provides continuing education courses for health care professionals and community education programs. To learn more about UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, log on to rwjms.umdnj.edu. Find our fan page at http://www.Facebook.com/RWJMS and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/UMDNJ_RWJMS.
###
