Here you will find lots of useful information from our supporters CÚRAM, including lesson plans, presentations and animations, that can help you explore the exciting topic ‘Marvels of Medicine‘ for your ReelLIFE SCIENCE video.
CÚRAM is Ireland’s National Centre for Research in Medical Devices, bringing together experts from Ireland’s leading universities, research institutes and companies.
A medical device is something that can diagnose, treat or monitor an illness. Examples of medical devices include stents, pacemakers, hip and knee replacements.
At CÚRAM, researchers are working to develop the next generation of implants and devices that can help the body heal itself. We work with surgeons, engineers, biologists, chemists, designers and industry to find solutions for illnesses including diabetes, asthma, heart disease and Parkinson’s Disease.
At CÚRAM we have filmmakers produce stories about our research and how it helps patients every year. You might like to see trailers for these documentaries at https://curamdevicesengage.ie/resources/science-on-screen/
Did you know that Ireland is a world leader when it comes to medical device research and development, and over 29,000 people are employed in the MedTech sector in Ireland? Chances are you probably know someone who works in this area either in research in a university, or in a MedTech company like Boston Scientific or Medtronic.
CÚRAM researchers are developing devices that will work for different parts of the body. Below, you can check out lesson plan kits developed by CÚRAM’s Teachers in Residence on the following topics:
How to Mend a Broken Heart
Learn about basic heart anatomy, how a heart attack occurs due to the blockage of a coronary artery, and how to keep your heart healthy. You can also make a large diagram of the heart which is used to play “Heart Twister”.
The Heart Lesson Plan (short version),The Heart Lesson Plan (school version), Presentation and Heart Rate Logic Puzzle.
Mending The Musculoskeletal System
Learn about bones, muscles and tendons, and how doctors treat damage to these tissues. You can also build a model hand and act as a surgeon to fix a tendon using “biomaterials”.
The Musculoskeletal System Lesson Plan (short version), The Musculoskeletal System Lesson Plan (school version), Presentation and Bone Logic Puzzle.
Treating Parkinson’s Disease on Jelly Brains!
In the video below, learn how neurons effectively send and receive messages. When the neurons slip up their messages, the body can experience involuntary tremors and shakes known as Parkinson’s disease. The Brain Lesson Plan will guide you through making your own ‘jelly brains’ (Don’t eat the ‘jelly brains’!) and designing a medical device to treat Parkinson’s disease. This lesson is a bit more advanced.
The Brain Lesson Plan (short version), The Brain Lesson Plan (school version), Presentation and Brain Logic Puzzle.
Stem Cells
Students learn about how stem cells are used by animals to heal their bodies. Students build model animals using cells made from playdough, and fix their injured animals by using playdough stem cells or building prosthetic devices.
Stem Cells Lesson Plan (short version), Stem Cells Lesson Plan (school version), Presentation and STEMinator Cards.
Biomaterials
Students learn about medical devices, and natural and synthetic sources of biomaterials. Students make their own biomaterials (slime!) to fix soft tissues.
You can use any of the information above to help you to make your ReelLIFE SCIENCE ‘Marvels of Medicine‘ video, or you might like to interview someone you know who uses a medical device or works in developing or researching medical devices.
You can also contact CÚRAM to explore your topic with any questions you might have about medical device research, by emailing info@curamdevices.ie
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