On November 28, the final meeting concluding the “Science on the Trail” project took place at the Palace in Turew.

Since July, lectures have been organized in two locations – at the Palace in Turew and at the Municipal Public Library in Kościan – which attracted significant interest from the local community. The project included two thematic cycles: “Greater Poland – the Cradle of Polish Statehood” and “Are Genes Our Destiny?”, each consisting of three sessions led by respected lecturers and specialists in their fields.

During the final events – on November 12 in Kościan and November 28 in Turew – Prof. Marek Figlerowicz delivered a lecture titled “What Information Is Encoded in Our Genome?”, while Luiza Handschuh, PhD, DSc, Assoc Prof., presented a lecture titled “Do Genes Determine Our Health?”.

Prof. Figlerowicz explained in an accessible way what the genome and genomics are, as well as the extent to which the genetic code determines our traits. He also presented the latest knowledge on the process of sex determination. Prof. Handschuh, in turn, outlined the mechanisms of disease inheritance, explaining that not all genetic disorders are inherited and that mutations in certain genes carry greater significance. She emphasized that lifestyle plays a key role in maintaining health. She also talked about international gene research initiatives and the genomic research being conducted at the Institute. The high attendance and active participation at each session confirmed that the project attracted great interest and that the proposed lectures proved to be a valuable and much-needed initiative.

The project is carried out as part of the “Organic Work – The Legacy of the People of Greater Poland” program, held along the Organic Work Trail — an initiative coordinated by the General Dąbrowski Palace in Winna Góra. The project is co-financed by the Greater Poland Voivodeship.