BeZientzia 2026 brings together all five BERC centers in Bizkaia for the first time
Launched in 2024 to bring science closer to students, this year’s initiative welcomes the Biofisika Institute and features participation from two Achucarro laboratories.
BeZientzia is a collaborative initiative driven by the BERC centers in Bizkaia to bring scientific research closer to society and foster STEAM vocations among younger generations. Through hands-on workshops, interactive activities, and scientific demonstrations, students have the opportunity to discover various disciplines and gain first-hand insight into the work carried out at the region’s research centers.
The initiative held its inaugural edition in 2024, organized by the Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, BC3, and BCAM. In 2025, BCMaterials joined, expanding the collaboration to four centers. This year, the Biofisika Institute joins the project, bringing together all five BERC centers in Bizkaia for the first time: Achucarro, BC3, BCAM, Biofisika Institute, and BCMaterials.
BeZientzia 2026: A new edition to discover science
The 2026 edition takes place on October 26 and 27, introducing a new format that transitions from a two-day event to a single-day structure per participating group. Through the proposed activities, students will engage with research in a participatory and experimental way, discovering how science helps us understand the world around us.
Two Achucarro workshops for hands-on learning and discovery
Achucarro is participating in this edition with practical activities led by two of its laboratories, enabling students to explore different aspects of neuroscience and biology research.
On the first day, October 26, the Laboratory of Glia and Matrix Biology will host a workshop on banana DNA extraction. Through this experiment, participants will learn how to extract genetic material from plant tissue and gain an introduction to key concepts in cellular and molecular biology.
On the second day, October 27, it will be the turn of the Laboratory of Brain Development and Evolution, which will host a workshop exploring how the vertebrate brain evolves and develops. Starting from the classic question “which came first, the chicken or the egg?”, students will discover a non-mammalian animal model used in neuroscience and learn why it is key to research. They will work with avian embryos at different stages of development and compare their brains to understand how this organ has evolved throughout the evolutionary history of vertebrates.
Collaboration to bring research closer to new generations
The participation of all five BERC centers reinforces the collaborative nature of BeZientzia and highlights the wide range of scientific fields researched in Bizkaia. The initiative aims to spark interest in science from an early age and present the work of research centers to students in an accessible, dynamic, and engaging manner.
Through its involvement, Achucarro reaffirms its commitment to scientific outreach and the encouragement of future researchers by bringing neuroscience and experimental science into the educational community.