Abstract:

Continuing the tradition of Docendo Discimus project started at the end of 2015 within XXIX Edition of Futuro Remoto, a tour-day event held in Plebiscito Square in Naples with the theme "To build". I have recently trained a new Docendo Discimus Team.
Last September I selected nine life sciences undergraduate students with a passion for learning Biology and motivated to improve their communication skills, I added them to the Docendo Discimus Team starting the training for scientific dissemination and for the activities related to the project entitled "Genomic stability and variability, a subtle balance between evolution and disease".

The main objectives of the Docendo Discimus Team were to design and realize some easy interactive scientific activities in the frame of theme "Equilibri” of XXXVI Edition of Futuro Remoto guested at Città della Scienza in NAPLES (Italy) last November from 22th to 27th, focused on exploring, on reflecting and on telling the many balance and unbalance of our history, of our life, and....our Planet (https://www.futuroremoto.eu/programma-edizione-2022/).
Aiming to communicate milestones discovered in the field; the types of DNA damage that, if not properly repaired, can cause mutations; the history of DNA damage repair mechanisms that are able to preserve genetic information in our cells; each member of the Docendo Discimus Team has selected a few questions that field scientists are now asking themselves.
Posters were produced to answer to some relevant scientific questions, to illustrate examples of mutated proteins and to describe and present the main currently known DNA repair mechanisms.
In addition, in order to illustrate examples of mutated proteins, and to give concretely demonstration of the effect of point mutations (transition or transversion) in coding DNA sequences, posters, crosswords, intriguing memory games and some simple experiments as well as “Comet assay” were prepared.

In conclusion, the take at home message that the Docendo Discimus Team (https://www.instagram.com/docendodiscimus_f2team/) gave to the audience of students, teachers and all visitors to the exhibition last November was that:
"In different ways that genome of human cells is constantly and continuously subjected to the action of chemical and physical agents which damage it. DNA Damage, if not repaired, can modify the information contained therein and thus condition the functioning of the cells themselves, causing pathologies and even some tumors. Cells "fortunately" have DNA damage repair mechanisms and are able to preserve their genetic information. However there is a subtle "equilibrium" which allows the genome to evolve under the pressure of the stimuli of an environment in constant and constant evolution and which, in some cases, causes irreversible damage which can lead to the development of diseases."
Dissemination activities integrated with those carried out in the molecular biology laboratory (wet-lab) will constitute internship project of three-year degree in Biological Sciences of some team members (http://www.dipartimentodibiologia.unina.it/progetto-docendo-discimus).
DNA models specially built with "poor" and sustainable material and various themed interactive posters were prepared in line with the theme of the project in which the main DNA repair mechanisms were illustrated and which earned the award in 2015 of the Nobel prize to Thomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar.

Keywords:

Innovative continuing professional development and learning, innovative teaching stem discipline, inquiry based science education, science popularization.