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Free science fair coming to Mission Bay

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  Published in Science and Technology on Thursday, October 23rd 2025 at 10:10 GMT by San Francisco Examiner
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A Festival with a Focus on Human Health

The Bay Area Science Festival (BASF) has long aimed to bridge the gap between the scientific community and the public, and this year’s iteration at Mission Bay is no exception. “Science is not just for the lab,” said Dr. Michael C. Kessel, director of UCSF’s Center for Biomedical Innovation. “It’s about community engagement, about inspiring the next generation of scientists, and about ensuring that the public sees how research impacts daily life.” The festival’s programming reflects that vision, with a particular emphasis on human health and translational medicine. Attendees will encounter research on neurodegenerative disorders, cancer biology, regenerative medicine, and emerging therapeutics.

Highlights of the Event

Open‑Lab Tours

A centerpiece of the festival will be the “Open‑Lab” tours, which allow the public to step inside UCSF’s state‑of‑the‑art laboratories. Guided by graduate students and post‑docs, visitors will see firsthand how CRISPR gene‑editing is being applied to treat inherited retinal diseases, how bioprinting is creating tissue scaffolds, and how the latest high‑throughput screening platforms are accelerating drug discovery. Tour routes will include the Neuroscience and Cellular & Molecular Biology departments, with special emphasis on the “Brain & Behavior” lab, which has recently published a landmark study on the neural circuits underlying anxiety.

Live Demonstrations and Experiments

BASF’s tradition of “science in action” will continue with a series of live demonstrations. In the “Molecular Mechanics” corner, a live polymerase chain reaction (PCR) will be performed on a single‑cell sample, showing how genes are amplified in real time. The “Cellular Response” station will feature a live imaging session of cancer cells exposed to a novel therapeutic compound, with an accompanying interactive display explaining the mechanisms of apoptosis. These demonstrations are designed to demystify complex processes and spark curiosity among all age groups.

Keynote Speakers and Panel Discussions

The festival will feature keynote speeches from leading scientists such as Dr. Elizabeth L. Kelleher, a pioneer in immunotherapy, and Dr. Raj Patel, whose work on neurodegeneration has earned him the NIH’s Early Career Award. Panel discussions will tackle topics ranging from ethical considerations in gene editing to the future of precision medicine. A particular highlight is the “Women in Science” panel, which will showcase UCSF faculty and post‑docs who are breaking barriers in traditionally male‑dominated fields.

STEM Outreach for Youth

One of the most ambitious elements of this year’s festival is the “Future Scientists” program, which will target K‑12 students in the surrounding Bay Area communities. The program will host hands‑on workshops on coding, robotics, and bioinformatics, alongside interactive science fairs where students can present their own research projects. UCSF will partner with local schools to provide transportation, ensuring that students from underrepresented backgrounds have the opportunity to participate.

Family‑Friendly Activities

Recognizing that the festival is a family event, the organizers have arranged a “Science Playground” area. Here, children can engage with magnetic levitation, build simple circuits, and explore a virtual reality tour of the human bloodstream. Parents will also have access to a “Science Café,” where they can meet UCSF researchers over coffee and discuss the latest findings in lay language.

How to Get Involved

The festival is free and open to the public, but due to expected crowds, registration is required for some sessions. Interested participants can sign up through the official BASF website (https://www.bayareasci.org). Early‑bird registration offers priority for the most popular workshops and speaker Q&A sessions. Those who cannot attend in person can still engage via the festival’s live‑streamed sessions, which will be available on the BASF YouTube channel and the UCSF Events page.

A Legacy of Community Engagement

UCSF’s mission to “educate, research, and care” extends beyond clinical service and into the broader community. The Mission Bay campus has previously hosted a variety of public events, including the UCSF Science Café, the “Health for All” outreach initiative, and the annual “UCSF Open House.” The Bay Area Science Festival adds a new dimension by weaving together multiple departments and disciplines under one umbrella, allowing attendees to see how disparate research threads converge to address global health challenges.

In a statement, UCSF President Dr. David R. Cote expressed his enthusiasm: “The Mission Bay campus has always been at the forefront of scientific innovation, and we are thrilled to open our doors to the public for the Bay Area Science Festival. By demystifying research and highlighting its real‑world impact, we hope to inspire the next generation of scientists and foster a more scientifically literate society.”

Looking Ahead

As the festival approaches, UCSF’s communications team is working to ensure that all public-facing materials are accessible to people with disabilities, and they have committed to using inclusive language throughout. They are also collaborating with local environmental groups to promote sustainable practices during the event, such as reusable water stations and waste‑reduction initiatives.

The Bay Area Science Festival at UCSF’s Mission Bay campus promises to be a landmark event, combining scientific rigor with community engagement. By showcasing the frontiers of biomedical research in a format that is approachable and inspiring, the festival reaffirms UCSF’s commitment to advancing science and improving health for all. Attendees can expect an immersive, educational experience that will spark curiosity, encourage dialogue, and perhaps even ignite a lifelong passion for science.