Phages & Fascination: A Biozentrum Summer Story
The Summer Science Academy is an intensive two-week summer course held annually at the Biozentrum Basel for 20–25 high school students. SSM member Alexander Harms was instrumental in founding and organizing the program from 2019 until 2023, together with a local team. Although he and his lab are no longer involved since moving to ETH Zürich, the course continues in a similar format.
The project at the academy had focus on the isolation and characterization of bacteriophages from the Rhein River and other sources. Students performed plating experiments, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and—partially outside the course—whole genome sequencing. With their "own" phages, students explore key biological questions, such as resistance to bacterial immunity and identification of host receptors. The hands-on approach fosters deep engagement, allowing participants to gain authentic experience in experimental science.
The course also features a reenactment of landmark phage experiments that led to the Nobel Prize in 1978 (awarded to Werner Arber of Biozentrum), guest lectures by scientists from across Switzerland, and visits to museums and both small and large life science companies.
Beyond the lab, the Academy inspired broader outreach activities, such as a science-art exhibition featuring colorized TEM images of phages taken by students, curated by PhD student and science artist Fabienne Estermann. Many of the phages isolated during SSA became part of published research:
https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001424
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.12.612763v3
After moving to ETH Zürich, Alexander Harms’ lab continues to support science outreach through Matura projects. Nora Artico gained national media attention for her phage research:
https://www.bazonline.ch/19-jaehrige-mittel-gegen-superkeime-im-kot-von-zolli-tieren-985525374833
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