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Middle School Science Department: From Aging and Regeneration to Daily Dietary Management

June 8, 2026

Recently, the Middle School Science Department closely integrating cutting-edge science with daily life— tailored two highly valuable biomedical lectures for 7th and 8th graders. Experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Shanghai Children's Medical Center shared their profound insights, leading students on a journey from the macro-scale of life's evolution to the micro-scale of daily energy metabolism.


8th Grade Session: Unlocking the Ultimate Mysteries of Life—The Codes of Aging and Regeneration



The 8th-grade session featured an in-depth scientific lecture titled "Animal Aging and Regeneration," delivered by Dr. Zeng An, a principal investigator from the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CAS.


Dr. Zeng began with the classic philosophical paradox, the "Ship of Theseus," cleverly prompting students to think deeply about life's self-renewal. He shared fascinating facts about human cell renewal, explaining the replacement cycles of stomach cells and red blood cells, which proves that the human body is constantly in a state of microscopic self-renewal and reorganization. Meanwhile, he posed a core scientific question to spark curiosity: Why can't humans achieve the ultimate in body regeneration and repair, like planarians? This question thoroughly ignited the students' desire to explore.


Dr. Zeng pointed out that the core of regeneration lies in the dedifferentiation capability of cells. Although humans sacrificed most of their regenerative abilities during evolution to enhance immune defense and reduce cancer risks, modern medicine has made great strides in cutting-edge fields. From Nobel laureate Shinya Yamanaka's successful creation of induced pluripotent stem cells to current cutting-edge technologies like in vitro organoid engineering and precision cell transplantation, these breakthroughs clearly showcase the monumental progress of modern medicine in organ repair and anti-aging. This experience allowed students to truly feel the pulse of frontline life sciences and broaden their scientific horizons.


7th Grade Session: Returning to Healthy Living—The Rules of Adolescent Diet and Weight Management



If the 8th-grade lecture was about "looking up at the stars," the 7th-grade lecture on "Adolescent Diet and Weight Management," tied to their curriculum on the human body, was firmly "grounded in reality." Dr. Cai Xiaoman from the Shanghai Children's Medical Center delivered a highly relatable health education lecture for the students.


Dr. Cai first corrected the misconception of blindly focusing solely on weight, guiding students to conduct a comprehensive self-assessment using five core dimensions: Body Mass Index (BMI), body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio.


She then used the trendy internet term "carb coma" to vividly explain the science behind post-meal drowsiness: consuming large amounts of high-glycemic foods like white rice and steamed buns can cause blood sugar to fluctuate violently, like a roller coaster, leading to sleepiness. She advised students to choose low-glycemic foods like oats and black rice in their daily diets to maintain stable blood sugar and insulin levels.


When explaining the metabolic pathways of the three macronutrients, Dr. Cai revealed a strict biochemical fact: Carbohydrates are easily converted into fat in the body, but it is physiologically extremely difficult for fat to be converted back into carbohydrates. This is the scientific reason why fat loss is much harder than muscle gain.


To tackle this, she demonstrated the golden ratio of a scientifically functional meal plate on-site: 50% vegetables, 25% carbohydrates, and 25% protein. She also recommended supplementing with moderate amounts of high-quality fats from cooking oils, nuts, avocados, or deep-sea fish, while strictly avoiding trans fatty acids.


The special lecture series concluded successfully amidst warm applause and enthusiastic interaction. These two high-caliber lectures transformed profound principles of life science into tangible, practical wisdom for daily life, planting the seeds of exploration in the students' hearts. Understanding the ingenuity of evolution inspires a greater reverence for life; practicing scientific methods paves the way for a healthier lifestyle. This dual enlightenment on life and health is the most precious gift this event has bestowed upon the students.


(Written by Rongzhang Hu, Andrew McGillivray

Pictures by Ginger Xu  

Reviewed by Jenny Du, Shiyu Wu, Hannah Kloeber)