Students from Tower Hamlets have been working with medical researchers and patients at Oxford University.

The sixth formers from St Paul’s Way Trust School, in Bow, which specialises in science, stayed at the university for three days last week.

The visit included work experience with a professor at the Churchill Hospital for cancer services at the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism. The pioneering centre combines clinical care, research and education, and is a collaboration between the university, the NHS and private industries.

The students met with registrars, doctors, nurses and a variety of patients during projects.

Student Ali Hannan, 16, said, “It was a fantastic experience meeting so many specialists and seeing science in action. I’m determined to go into medicine more than ever before.”

Fellow student Khudija Kobir, 16, said “It’s opened up my eyes to a wider range of career opportunities in Science. I’m amazed at the possibilities.”

Students also visited Oxford Nanopore Technologies, an organisation developing new technology for electronic molecules analysis.

St Paul’s Way Trust School opened its first sixth form this month has begun a long-term partnership with the Professor Wass at the university.

Headteacher Grahame Price said: “The friends we’ve made at Oxford are as determined as we are to provide routes from our school into the university. We’re starting with medicine but over time I believe all of our sixth formers will benefit from this exciting partnership.”