PNDRI)"> Marika Bogdani, Carol Sandison, and Barton Wicksteed at PNRI (click for larger image)

"I love teaching biology," Carol says, having taught for twenty-five years, "but this opportunity to work and learn at PNRI is amazing." Sandison is participating in the highly regarded Science Education Partnership, now in its 15th year at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The more than twenty other teachers in the program have all been teamed up with professional scientists in regional research labs--the University of Washington, Zymogenetics, Amgen, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, as well as Fred Hutch and PNRI--to get hands-on experience doing what they teach.

Dr. Bogdani is serving as Carol's mentor, teaching her about beta cell growth and the development of type 1 diabetes and helping her learn key laboratory techniques for the advanced study of cells. A first-year mentor, Marika explains that she is grateful for the opportunity to share her knowledge with an eager teacher. "If I can be helpful," she says, "if I can provide Carol with an experience that will be valuable to her and her students, then I will be very glad."

"I have waited for twelve years to do this," Carol says of her long interest in the Science Education Partnership. "Now at last I'm here, and it is wonderful."