Nagpur: Five students from Nagpur recently visited CERN in Geneva, the world's largest particle physics laboratory and the site of experiments that led to the discovery of the Higgs boson, often referred to as the "God particle." The visit, held from June 7 to 13, offered them first-hand exposure to cutting-edge scientific research in particle physics and some of the world's most advanced experimental facilities.
The students of DPS Mihan — Sweshtika S, Uddesh Gadge, Varad Sane, Rayan Konde and Jaskirat Bagga — earned the opportunity after securing second place nationally and fourth place in South Asia in the Bose Beam Line Challenge 2025. Competing under the team name Nanostormers, they also won the Synergy Award in the schools category, outperforming 37 teams from across the region.
Their project, "Deep-Tissue NIR-Activated Microrobots for Biomedical Interventions," proposed the use of gold nanorods and responsive hydrogels guided by adjustable near-infrared beamline pulses to perform targeted medical interventions inside the human body. The concept explored applications such as precision drug delivery and the removal of arterial blockages, including directing chemotherapy to tumours while minimising side effects and breaking down clots without invasive surgery.
Exposure to Cutting-Edge Research
Physicist Philips Mathew introduced them to CERN's scientific programmes, while a tour of the Synchrotron Facility offered insights into advances in particle accelerators.
The students also visited the ATLAS Visitor Centre, home to the detector associated with the Higgs boson discovery and the Nobel Prize-winning research linked to it. Sessions on data science and high-performance computing highlighted their growing role in modern nuclear physics.
Practical Laboratory Exercise
During a practical laboratory exercise, the team built cloud chambers and observed ionisation trails produced by alpha particles, muons and electrons.
School president and pro-vice chairperson Tulika Kedia and director Savita Jaiswal credited the students, their mentors and principal Nidhi Yadav for the achievement.
"This reflects our students' creativity, determination and commitment to applying science for public benefit," said Yadav. "It aligns with the school's efforts to connect young learners with global research ecosystems."
Organised by the LifeLab Foundation, the inter-school and undergraduate competition invites participants to design practical experiments using particle accelerators and beamline technology.
