Whitechapel science centre nominated for award

The science education centre, Centre of the Cell in Newark Street, Whitechapel, is the first in the world to be located within research laboratories and has been short-listed in the Best New Tourism Experience category of the BT Visit London Awards.

The centre which opened last year boasts a giant orange pod suspended above research laboratories, and uses a series of interactive games, virtual experiments and films to show visitors the work scientists do and how it affects real life.

Visitors can grow virtual cells for experiments in biomedical research, learn about stem cells for research into burns treatments or explore real body parts and examine cancerous tissues using microscopes.

Winners of the awards will be announced at a ceremony in December.

The centre recently picked up the Best Educational Initiative prize at the Museum and Heritage Awards and there are plans to develop a second centre.

Entry is free and for more information visit www.centreofthecell.org