On the occasion of the celebration of the World DNA Day (25 April) to commemorate the discovery of the double-stranded DNA (1953) and the completion of the mapping of the human genome (2003), the Department of Biology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in collaboration with the Panhellenic Union of Bioscientists, is organizing an event on Thursday, April 10, 2025, from 9:00 to 13:00, at the Department of Biology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Students of the 2nd grade will visit the premises of the Department of Biology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and will participate in two thematic workshops, in order to get to know the science of Biology in an interactive way, up close and beyond the textbook.

Specifically, the Department of Biology will be visited by students from.

According to the organisers, “biological literacy is essential for the personal and social fulfilment of all people, because it provides the tools for understanding ourselves and the world in which we live and on which we depend. The Department of Biology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Panhellenic Union of Bioscientists, with a sense of responsibility towards society, contribute to the dissemination and consolidation of biological knowledge to tomorrow’s citizens.

Biology is the dominant science of the 21st century and its applications have already begun to significantly change people’s daily lives. It is essential that students today are equipped with the knowledge that will enable them to become aware of their place and responsibility towards the environment and help them to make future decisions about their health, daily habits, social ethics and work.

The programme of the event is as follows:

Thursday 10 April 2025

9:00-9:15 Arrival and gathering of students in the “Konstantinos Kastritsi” room, 10th floor, Biology building

9:20-9:40 Greeting by:

• the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences, Professor N. Kantiranis
• the Chair of the Department of Biology, Professor E. Papatheodorou
• the representative of the Panhellenic Union of Bioscientists, Dr. M. Tsiafouli (EDIP)

9:40-10:00 “Our DNA. Perspectives and developments for humans and the environment in the 21st century“ by the Coordinator of the ”DNA Day” Committee of the Department of Biology, Professor A. Triandafyllidis

10:15-13:00 3rd Thematic Workshop: “DNA organization and inheritance – chromosomes” and 4th thematic workshop: “DNA and environment”