THE East End s newest science centre has won a museum Oscar . The Centre of the Cell which is the first science education centre in the world to be located within biomedical research laboratories, has snatched an Educational Initiative award at the 2

THE East End's newest science centre has won a museum 'Oscar'.

The Centre of the Cell which is the first science education centre in the world to be located within biomedical research laboratories, has snatched an Educational Initiative award at the 2010 Museums & Heritage Awards for Excellence.

The centre, which is part of Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry at Queen Mary University of London, gives children the chance to learn more about the science of cells.

And it has already run 340 shows since it opened last September.

It is based in a giant `pod' in Queen Mary's Blizzard Building in Newark Street, Whitechapel and contains a central 'nucleus' which opens up to reveal interactive games.

Director of the centre, Professor Frances Balkwill, said: "It is incredibly exciting to gain this recognition.

"Centre of the Cell aims to inspire young people to take an interest in science, to improve their knowledge of science and to encourage them to become scientists and healthcare professionals themselves and we're certainly making headway towards achieving that.

"We seek to have a positive influence on the lives of the young people we work with.