KUWAIT: Dasman Diabetes Institute (DDI) was established under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the late Amir of Kuwait, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) in 2006 to combat the prevalence of diabetes in Kuwait. It was a visionary project undertaken by the late Amir seeing the prevalence of diabetes and its associated problems in the State of Kuwait. They aim to translate research findings into clinical practices for positive health outcomes. They conduct research in several departments namely; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Genetics and Bioinformatics, Microbiology and Immunology, Population Health and Bioenergetics.

On the 20th and 22nd of November, the young biologists of grade 12 of ICSK Senior got the golden opportunity to visit this prestigious institute and learn about its working and how it aims at controlling the diabetes epidemic. Upon arriving they were greeted by Dr Veeramani who gave the students an insight about the institution and its working. This was followed by Sriraman Devarajan who familiarized them with the management and gave them the safety briefing. They were also enlightened about the scope for biotechnology and were given advice for their entrance examinations.

The students of ICSK clad in their lab coats were soon exploring the halls of DDI. They were intrigued by the huge facility and the innumerable labs it housed. They were awestruck by the different labs and the number of samples it held. They saw the various cold storage rooms, freezers, and liquid nitrogen tanks holding different body samples. They also witnessed the process of western blotting and the embryonic kidney cells in a culture. They saw the multiple PCR machines and were explained about its working and practical applications. They then had a short break for refreshments and soon embarked on their next adventure.

They were shown around the clinic and the fitness centre which housed the swimming pool and gym specially made for the diabetic patients. The tour soon came to an end after a short photo session. This visit was indeed very educational and showed students that biotechnology wasn't limited to their textbooks. It helped them understand their concepts better and gave them a good insight into careers in biotechnology. The students are indebted to management of the Dasman Diabetic Institute and the school for this golden opportunity.