BURLINGTON — Two VTeen 4-H Science Pathways Cafés will be offered this fall to give Grade 7-12 students an insight into the science behind medical diagnoses and infectious diseases. 
University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H will sponsor the cafés, which are planned and run by a teen leadership committee. There is no charge to attend although preregistration is required. 
The first café, “When Will I Know the Results?” on Oct. 19 will focus on biomedical science. The café will be led by Katrina Moreau, clinical assistant professor, and Koela Ray, senior lecturer, with the UVM College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ Department of Biomedical and Health Sciences. Through interactive exercises teens will learn how medical laboratory scientists test patient specimens to help medical professionals diagnose diseases, monitor their patients’ health and plan the best course of treatment. 
The deadline to register for the October café is Oct. 16. To sign up go to oct2019cafe.eventbrite.com. 
The Nov. 9 café, “Infectious Diseases—How Do We Combat Them?” Will be led Huy Tu, a UVM microbiology and molecular genetics doctoral student. Participants will take a hands-on approach to discover how medical researchers and other health care experts work together to combat pathogens that cause infectious diseases. They also will try their hand at altering the genetics of microbes and discuss what is being done to eradicate these diseases. 
Teens interested in attending the Nov. café have until Nov. 6 to register at nov2019cafe.eventbrite.com. 
To request a disability-related accommodation to participate, contact Lauren Traister, UVM Extension 4-H Teen and Leadership Program coordinator at 866-260-5603 by Oct. 7 for the biomedical science café and Oct. 28 for the session on infectious diseases. 
Both cafés will be held in the Mansfield Dining Room at the Dudley Davis Center on the UVM campus in Burlington from 5-7 p.m. Free pizza and drinks will be served. 
To learn more about the teen science cafés and other youth programs and opportunities, go to uvm.edu/extension/youth/ announcements.