【UK】Oxford Biology Winter School - ASEEDER Academic Challenges

Oxford Biology Winter School Introduction

The Oxford Biology Winter School is a research-focused summer programme organised by the University of Oxford's Engineering Department and ASDAN China. It offers a curriculum taught by University of Oxford faculty, with official certificates issued by the Engineering Department. This program enables young students passionate about biology and related fields to experience research process at the University of Oxford, enhancing their academic skills and global perspective, ultimately boosting their qualifications for competitive university applications.

In the winter of 2025, Oxford Biology Winter School programme will open for high school students from China. This programme aims to provide students who are interested in deepening their knowledge in biology and related fields with the opportunity to explore cutting-edge biological knowledge. Students will learn from Oxford mentors, gaining expertise in biology and research methods. They'll also get experience in biological experiments under the guidance of professional researchers from teaching team to enrich their research skills and improve their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities

Ian Thompson

University of Oxford Professor & Fellow of RSB

Ian is Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. He is also head of the Environmental Bioengineering programme which focuses of exploiting microbiological activities for cleaning and preventing environment. Previously he was Head of Environmental Biotechnology at the NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) in Oxford.

Barnum

Lecturer in Jesus College, Oxford Universty

Barnum, a PhD holder from the University of Oxford, is currently a lecturer and PhD supervisor at Jesus College, University of Oxford. He's deeply interested in blending mathematics and biology, using mathematical modeling to create advanced cell culture systems for innovative drug development.
Henry Hung

Lecturer I in Magdalen College, University of Oxford

Henry is a Lecturer I and Ph.D. supervisor in Magdalen College University of Oxford. His research focuses on genetics, genomics, ecology, and plant protection, with multiple publications in these fields. He's also a member of the British Ecological Society's Activities Committee and specializes in genome data integration and climate model development.

Wissam Ghantous

PhD Student in the University of Oxford

Wissam is a PhD student in the University of Oxford，He is dedicated to developing algorithms and code to make abstract mathematical concepts computationally explicit, aiding in the verification of theories or finding counterexamples.
Cynthia

Oxford MEStar Chief Researcher

Cynthia, a PhD holder from the University of Oxford, serves as the Chief Researcher at Oxford MEStar. she focuses on wildlife infectious diseases and epidemiology, with a focus on developing quick diagnostic methods for zoonotic diseases to prevent their spread between humans and animals.

Johnny Zhou

PhD Student in the University of Oxford

Johnny is a PhD student in Bioengineering at the University of Oxford, with extensive knowledge and practical experience in molecular genetics, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), and gene editing technologies like CRISPR-Cas9. His current research primarily focuses on developing rapid virus detection devices with array capabilities.
Alexander Witt

PhD Student in the University of Oxford

Alexander is a PhD student in Tissue Engineering at the University of Oxford. His research focus is the reconstruction or repair of organs and tissues using in vitro cultivation or construction methods. Alexander specializes in membrane bioreactor technology and fluid transport in porous elastomeric membranes, exploring ways to optimize bioreactors for enhanced production efficiency and quality

Oxford Tutor Lecture

Guided by the Oxford University mentor team, students will explore cutting-edge topics, enhancing their expertise and expanding their horizons in biology.

PhD Student Guidance

PhD students offer deep academic guidance, helping students enhance their knowledge through practical science and complete individual and collaborative research tasks.

Laboratory Visits

Students will visit Oxford University's biology research facility and biotech company, gaining exposure to cuttingedge biotechnology and taking part in guided experiments.

Group Work

Students will choose academic topic groups and, with guidance from Oxford PhD students, explore their chosen subjects deeply

Exploration

Students will have the opportunity to visit iconic places on the Oxford University campus, and explore cities like London and Cambridge.

Oxford Tutor Lecture: The Oxford University mentors will select topics based on current trends and cuttingedge research in the field of biology for academic knowledge teaching and sharing. The topics include:

History and Frontier of Biotech
Life Science
Microbiology
Computer Science in Biology

Animal-Origin Infectious Diseases
Rapid Virus Testing Device with Array Function
Biomedical, Corporate, and Industrial Applications
Engineering Research on Plant Enzyme Catalytic Properties

Furthermore, an Oxford University Chair Professor will present captivating interdisciplinary research in cutting-edge biology to the students.

Date/Time	10:00-12:00	14:00-16:00	After 16:00
Day 1	Arrival
Day 2-Day 5	Oxford Tutor Lecture Oxford PhD Student Guidance/ Oxford Academic Writing Guidance	Oxford Tutor Lecture Oxford PhD Student Guidance Campus and City Exploration	Self-Directed Learning Dinner Time
Day 6	Oxford Tutor Lecture	Oxford IBME Visit	Self-Directed Learning Dinner Time
Day 7	Exploring University of Cambridge: Visit historic Cambridge University, explore renowned colleges like King's, Trinity, and St. John's, take a punt ride, and experience the university's unique culture and academic ambiance. Exploring London: Visit famous attractions and internationally renowned universities in London and experience the cultural and academic atmosphere of London.
Day 8
Day 9	Oxford Tutor Lecture	Oxford PhD Student Guidance Campus and City Exploration	Self-Directed Learning Dinner Time
Day 10	MEStar Lab Visit Oxford Tutor Lecture	Biology Lab Practical and Mentor Summation	Self-Directed Learning Dinner Time
Day 11	Oxford Tutor Lecture Oxford PhD Student Guidance	Oxford PhD Student Guidance Preparation for Presentation	Self-Directed Learning Formal Dinner
Day 12	Oxford Tutor Lecture Oxford PhD Student Guidance		Preparation for Presentation Dinner Time
Day 13	Presentation and suggestion	Presentation and suggestion Ceremony	Quiz Night Dinner Time
Day 14	Back to China

*The final courses and content may vary depending on Oxford Biology Summer School.

【Date】

Jan.21st-Feb.3rd, 2025（14 days）

【Suitable Students】

16 years old and above，interested in biology and relative subjects，and with basic biology knowledge

【Requirements】：Meet any of the requirements is sufficient for enrollment

obtain grade A in ASDAN EPQ biological research
achieve gold awards in ASDAN international biology challenges
English language level equivalent to IELTS level 6.5 or TOEFL 90, and grade A in biology, or a score of 7 in (I)GCSE Biology.
If the above requirements are not met, an English telephone interview with an ASDAN teacher is required

All students will have an online group meeting with their project mentors in December.

Do students need to have biology knowledge?

Students in this programme will learn the cutting-edge knowledge of biology and current hot research directions, and will be guided by professional researchers to complete the biological experimental operations, which require a certain degree of discipline foundation, otherwise they will not be able to complete the corresponding difficulty and depth of the scientific research tasks.

Can students apply for this programme if their age is below 16？

According to the University of Oxford's laboratory system, students under the age of 16 are not permitted to enter the laboratory to complete experiments. This programme involves biology experiments and is therefore recommended for students 16 years of age and older. students 15 years of age are permitted to enroll but will not be allowed to enter the labs and can only observe and learn outside the labs.

What about the accommodation？Where will the students live?

During the project, since it falls within the British academic term, participants will stay in hotels close to the college in twin rooms.