Signing of an agreement between the Albert-Londres Secondary School in Causs and the Chalet des roses in Vichy (Allier)
An agreement has just been signed between Albert Londres High School and Chalet des Roses, to contract for a research program on the sequencing of the genome of roses, in its second and final year student programme.
It all started in 2021. Angelique Ferrari, Professor SVT (Life and Earth Sciences) visits in chalet rose On the occasion of Heritage Days. Jewel of the Second Empire (1864) has been included in the Inventory of Historic Monuments since 1990. The master understands that the owners are trying to make an inventory of the old roses in the garden, about fifty roses, some of which date back to the 19th century.
Solve the riddle of ancient roses
Students work on an art brochure that combines drawings and science stock (Photos AF)
“The domestication of plants is included in the programme: in general we study wheat or carrots! I thought it would be interesting to focus our research on these roses. Anne-Fleur LaRuffe answered me very quickly.”
The latter, who is herself a professor at ESSEC in Paris, assures us: “Coordinating culture and scientific research, opening the chalet to logical projects, that is what we want to do in this unique place.”
The owners of the Chalet des roses have opened their home to the public in Vichy (Allier)
A plea for the rose garden of the future
Sophomores began mapping and visually identifying species and working on an art project on creating a brochure that could, in the long run, be evaluated within the rose chalet itself, and why not in the tourist’s office, to present to city visitors the beauty of this much-forgotten botanical heritage. In March, seniors will begin a purely DNA research project.
Art, Research, Genome Sequencing and Transmission: pilot project
The project is part of a regional cooperation. Sixty students participate. The second and final work on the pedigree of roses, from domestication to hybridization, Chinese or European. Terminals will work on genome and DNA sequencing, following the baccalaureate exams. The high school is the only one in Allier to take advantage of a loan for a PCR machine (in vitro DNA amplification technology), as part of the program The genome at school. Students will study more closely the chloroplasts of a plant cell that carries chlorophyll pigments. With the assistance of a researcher from the École Normale Supérieure for Higher Education in Lyon, and with the assistance of the National Institute of Teaching and Education of Chamalier (Important)The teacher is proud of her pilot project that could inspire other high schools.
Exciting hands-on work outside the walls for these sophomores
The program aims to continue over time, with the aim of creating a rose garden in the school garden, by replanting and grafting historical strains after their study. Angélique Ferrari will have to find partnerships to spread this broad and ambitious project. The young teacher has a full range of ideas: contacting environmental associations working to conserve plants or grafting trees, engaging school and city green space services, finding sponsors, as well as educational and logistical support for the school (whose president Hervé Hamonic was open to this kind of innovative experience). and experimental). National Education is already following this file, as the teacher responded to a call for projects from the Académie de Clermont-Ferrand, developed under the Academic Cell Research Development Innovation and Experimentation (CARDIE), validated in September by the university administration.
Anne Casales
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