BRAIN AWARENESS COLLABORATION JELLO BRAINS DIY DISSECTION Interested in brain dissections but don’t have access to one? This quick and simple jello brain dissection is the perfect activity for budding neuroscientists to learn about brain surgery and neuroscience! BACKGROUND ON BRAIN TUMORS Gliomas, or brain tumors, can sometimes grow in brain tissue and interfere with brain function. Therefore, neurosurgeons have to be able to remove the tumor without damaging the delicate tissue surrounding it. In this activity, you will be performing a mock neurosurgery on the jello brain! MATERIALS * Jell-O Gelatin Mix * Cooking Spray * Brain-shaped mold (or shallow bowl) * Chewy candy INSTRUCTIONS 1) Mix Jell-O mix according to the instructions on the box, but only add 3/4 the amount of water (this makes firmer Jell-O for the mold) 2) Coat each mold with cooking spray to prevent Jell-O from sticking 3) Pour Jell-O in the mold and refrigerate for at least 6 hours (refrigerate overnight recommended) 4) After around 1 hour in the fridge, drop in a piece of chewy candy. This will be the ‘tumor.’ 5) Dip molds in warm water for about 15 seconds to release the Jell-O. 6) Use dissection tools to carefully remove the tumor from the Jell-O brain. Enjoy!