The intersection of creativity and biology | Khan Academy X OpenBio

Curiosity and creativity are fundamental to biology, driving college students from Harvard's OpenBio Laboratory to explore diverse scientific questions. Their research spans multiple fields, including engineering cells for autoimmune disease therapies, developing treatments for antimicrobial resistance, and understanding decision-making through neuroscience and AI. Other students are investigating nanoparticles for cancer drug delivery, using eye-gaze tracking to study infant minds, and exploring space medicine and astrobiology to understand the effects of space on the human body and search for extraterrestrial life. Clinical research in orthopedic surgery aims to improve patient outcomes by analyzing surgical techniques and healing mechanisms. A focus on synthetic models is illuminating the early stages of cell development for therapeutic applications. These students' journeys into biology were sparked by a variety of influences, from nature walks and animal magazines to shadowing physicians and early explorations of online research. Personal experiences, like family illness or a passion for documentaries, also fueled their scientific interests. Now, they are actively contributing to cutting-edge research, developing AI models, and communicating science, driven by a deep fascination and a desire to understand the world. They emphasize that biology offers endless possibilities, encouraging an open mind, hard work, and the pursuit of bold ideas to make their unique contributions to scientific discovery.