The following reflection was written by Leyton Rebori after volunteering at the KC Area Life Science Institute Annual Dinner.

Overall, the KCALSI Annual Dinner was a thrilling and informative experience. Showcasing scientifically-derived art, I was able to talk with a collection of the region’s greatest scientists and innovators. Also, I talked with a few students majoring in biology at college and high school students with similar goals. I was lucky enough to meet the researcher who created the piece I was selling named Cellular Galaxies by AJ Melliot. The generosity and scientific innovation displayed at the event was stunning and a beacon of hope for progress and future generations.

Leyton Rebori, senior at Rockhurst High School, helping with the KCALSI art auction.

One interesting example of a new company making a difference in their research was a group which was able to remove an eternal malignant cancerous tumor from a dog’s muzzle in under two months. The keynote speaker, Nina Tandon of EpiBone, elaborated upon her involvement in forming viable replacement bones from a patient’s cells. Additionally, I learned that companies are creating collaborative lab spaces in which anyone can pay for a membership and perform any experiment they wish to. This would allow those who have been interested in pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and thought to perform experiments without recieving the education or grants needed to traditionally do so. The KCALSI event was extremely interesting and informative and I am thankful to have received the chance to attend.