The IRBLleida, the Paeria de Lleida and the Lleida traders' associations collaborate in the distribution of 6,250 bosses to disseminate the role of science

Is it OK to modify our DNA? Is time travel possible? Are identical twins exactly the same? These are some of the messages that can be found in the third campaign "The role of science" promoted by the Institute of Biomedical Research of Lleida (IRBLleida), with the collaboration of the Paeria de Lleida, Lleida's business organisations and the Municipal Art School Leandre Cristòfol. 6,250 bags, in 5 different models, will be distributed in Lleida's shops to spread the role of science. The campaign was presented today by the manager of the Institute of Biomedical Research of Lleida (IRBLleida), Eva López Truco; the councillor for Good Governance and Councillor for Feminist Policies, Carme Valls Llaràs; the IRBLleida researcher, Marta Molinero García; accompanied by representatives of Lleida's shopkeepers' organisations.

'As a new feature of this third edition, the images and messages have been created by the IRBLleida staff themselves, a fact that gives the campaign even more meaning and authenticity,' explained IRBLleida's manager, Eva López Truco. 'It is very important to make women visible, especially women scientists', said the Councillor for Good Governance and Councillor for Feminist Policies, Carme Valls Llaràs.

As a novelty this year, the bags also include a woman scientist to highlight the work of women in this field. Specifically, Lise Meitner, the mother of the atomic bomb, is featured. "Dissemination is an important part of our work", explained the researcher, Marta Molinero García. A total of 5 different models have been made. In addition to the Lise Meitner bag, there was another on twins, a third on the connection between the intestine and happiness, a fourth on the possibility of time travel and the fifth model on gene editing.

Another novelty is that the students of the Municipal Art School have been in charge, for the first time, of the design of the bags. In a collaboration between the two entities that will continue with other proposals in the future.

The president of the Eje Traders' Association, Montse Eritja, stressed the importance of collaborating with local organisations. Also present on behalf of the traders' associations were the president of the Bordeta Association, Xavier Orobitg, and a representative of the Board of the Pardiñas Traders' Association, Carlos Duarte.

Following the success of the campaign developed in 2020 by the Scientific Culture and Innovation Unit of the University of Oviedo in collaboration with the Union of Traders of the Principality of Asturias, the IRBLleida, in an action also funded by the FECYT, promoted this campaign in Catalan in Lleida. It is one of the 12 actions of the IRBLleida's scientific dissemination plan to highlight the importance of biomedical research and the role of the IRBLleida in Lleida.

This activity is possible thanks to the collaboration of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology of the Ministry of Science and Innovation.