West Babylon Senior High School students recently had the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge scientific research and gain hands-on experience in a medical skill when Class of 2024 graduate Vamsi Parikh returned to the classroom on Oct. 6.

Parikh, who is currently an undergraduate student at Stony Brook University, visited Mrs. Prizzi’s Anatomy and Physiology classes alongside research teammate Melody Touranant. Together, they introduced students to their work in synthetic biology and led a hands-on workshop focused on basic suturing techniques.

Parikh is a member of Stony Brook University’s team competing in the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. Each year, teams of undergraduate students design and conduct original synthetic biology research projects throughout the spring and summer before presenting their work at the international iGEM Jamboree. This year, Stony Brook’s iGEM team is researching biofilms. Their project focuses on engineering a plasmid designed to help break down biofilms as they form, with the goal of exploring a preventative approach following surgery.

The visit also highlighted another important component of the iGEM experience: community education and outreach. As part of their visit, Parikh and Touranant brought their research experience directly into the classroom and gave students the opportunity to learn basic suturing techniques using a banana.

The hands-on activity provided students with a practical introduction to medicine while helping them make connections between concepts studied in Anatomy and Physiology and real-world scientific research. Students also learned about the role biofilms can play in surgical care and how researchers are exploring innovative approaches to address them.

The experience demonstrated the value of connecting classroom learning with authentic research and career experiences, giving students an inside look at the work being done by undergraduate researchers and the many possibilities within the fields of biology, medicine and biotechnology.