14-03-2012 23:03 Paul Andersen explains how pigments can be separated using chromatography. He shows how you can calculate the Rf value for each pigment. He then explains how you can measure the rate of photosynthesis using leaf chads and water containing baking soda.
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AP Biology Lab 4: Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis - Video
14-03-2012 22:42 Paul Andersen compares and contrasts mitosis and meiosis. He shows how you can count cells in various phases of mitosis to construct a cell cycle pie chart. He also explains how you can use the fungus Sordaria to calculate map units using the frequency of cross over.
14-03-2012 23:24 Paul Andersen explains how a respirometer can be used to measure the respiration rate in peas, germinating peas and the worm. KOH is used to solidify CO2 produced by a respiring organism.
15-03-2012 00:29 Paul Andersen starts by defining transpiration as evaporation off of a leaf. He then describes how a potometer can be used to measure the rate of transpiration in different environments.
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AP Biology Lab 9: Transpiration - Video
Synthetic biology is making strides in fields ranging from cancer research to biofuels, but not everyone is excited about its prospects. A group of 111 watchdog and other organizations are calling for a moratorium on synthetic biology research until there is more oversight and governmental regulation, reports ScienceInsider's Elizabeth Pennisi. The group released a report with specific recommendations for "managing new biological techniques for building and remaking organisms for research and commercial uses," she adds. The report calls synthetic biology "an extreme form of genetic engineering" and warns that current regulations are inadequate. Further, the group wants a ban on the use of synthetic biology to manipulate the human genome.
However, critics of the report like the Biotechnology Industry Organization's Brent Erickson, say that while the rules currently in place to regulate synthetic biology may need an upgrade, there are many safeguards in place, Pennisi adds. "[With] the shrillness of its tone and its lack of objectivity, I don't think it's really helpful to policy-makers and the public," Erickson tells Pennisi.
Daily Scan's sister publication, GenomeWeb Daily News, has more on the proposed moratorium here.
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Stop That!
15-03-2012 06:06 Paul Andersen shows you how to use a sphygmomanometer to measure the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The the describes the elements of the laboratory portion. The temperature is gradually lowered and the respiration rate of a goldfish is measured.
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AP Biology Lab 10: Physiology of the Circulatory System - Video
Online Survey Seeks Public Input into Prioritizing Action
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) March 15, 2012
The online survey asks respondents to rate a number of actions that could address ELSI issues, such as ensuring long-term effects of synthetic biology are benign, tracking public and private investment in the field, or labeling products that include synthetic biology in their manufacture. By prioritizing these potential actions, resources can be better focused on areas of public concern. The results of this anonymous survey will be analyzed and compiled into a report, which will be released in mid- to late-May 2012.
To take the survey, please visit: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dERxQ1F5b1RKX3hDTC0xVnRRaWk3Q2c6MA
This survey builds on a workshop held Nov. 8-9, 2010, at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. The workshop culminated in a July 2011 report, Issues Arising from Synthetic Biology: What Lies Ahead?, which identified potential challenges and pressing research needs. More information and a link to the report can be found here: http://www.synbioproject.org/events/archive/what_lies_ahead/
The workshop was sponsored by the Wilson Center, the Department of Energy, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Following the workshop, an online survey was conducted to gather further input about which ELSI issues should be considered in the context of synthetic biology. The list of priorities in the new survey integrates the workshop-generated ideas with the post-workshop online input.
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Synthetic Biology Project
The Synthetic Biology Project is an initiative of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars supported by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The Project aims to foster informed public and policy discourse concerning the advancement of synthetic biology. For more information, visit: http://www.synbioproject.org
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
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The Societal Impacts of Synthetic Biology
The International Society for Computational Biology is asking its members to weigh in on a draft consensus curriculum for bioinformatics education.
In particular, members of ISCB's education committee are looking for ideas to increase the visibility of their efforts and involve a broader cross section of the computational biology community. The group is also seeking input on the draft curriculum and suggestions for refining it.
The recommendations included in the draft which is available here are based on responses to a survey of ISCB members conducted last spring.
Topics included in the draft curriculum had at least 10 votes among the 41 respondents to the survey. These topics fit into two broad areas: computation, mathematics, and statistics; and biology and chemistry.
Topics included under computation, mathematics, and statistics include: programming/scripting/software engineering, which had 36 votes; statistics/probability with 31 votes; databases with 24 votes; algorithm design/data structures/computation theory with 20 votes; and machine learning, which had 13 votes.
Topics under biology and chemistry include: cellular and molecular biology with 21 votes; genomics with 12 votes; basic biology with 11 votes; and evolutionary biology and genetics with 10 votes each.
In order to refine these guidelines, the committee has established three subcommittees that are responsible for summarizing curricula from existing bioinformatics programs; surveying directors of bioinformatics core facilities and biological researchers to identify the skills needed for people they hire; and reviewing bioinformatics career opportunities, the manuscript states.
Members interested in participating in ISCB's curriculum development efforts are encouraged to contact the chairs of the education committee and specify which of the three subcommittees they would like to participate in.
Comments on the curriculum blog are also welcome, ISCB said.
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ISCB Calls for Member Input on Bioinformatics Curriculum
Kevin Militello, associate professor of biology, has been awarded a renewal of the Academic Research Enhancement Award grant for his project Cytosine DNA Methylation and Transcriptional Repression in African Trypanosomes.
The $387,768 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will provide for supplies, data, travel, a part-time research technician and stipends for student researchers over the summer.
In the first round of research, Militellos lab found a modified DNA base in Trypanosoma brucei, a parasite that carries the African sleeping sickness.
Theres been a lot of interest over the past couple years in new bases Its like a language, he said, comparing finding the new bases to finding new letters in the alphabet. Were trying to figure out what it is.
Even though its modified, its considered a new base, said senior Sarah Cantatore, a biology student researching with Militello. In biology, a small change makes a big difference.
In this round of research, Militello said that he hopes to determine which organisms have the new bases, which genes have them and what their function is.
Usually the modified base inactivates the gene, said Cantatore. No ones been able to create a vaccine against the sleeping sickness because the organism has a protein coat that rapidly changes the modified base may be involved in controlling the genes responsible for the protein coat.
According to Militello, he routinely has three to seven students in the lab.
Their data has gone into published articles even in the grant submission, he said.
With money tight, Militello said that this grant is important for student growth. There are close to 900 biology students at Geneseo and not enough research positions for everyone.
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Biology professor Kevin Militello awarded $387,768 for second round of research
More than 100 environmental policy organizations call for greater oversight and regulation of synthetic biology.
By Edyta Zielinska | March 15, 2012
On Tuesday (March 12), the environmental activist organization Friends of the Earth called for a moratorium on the release of synthetic biology organisms or products into the environment. The call came from a report put together by 111 environmental organizations from around the world.
In 2010 the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethics found that synthetic biology was still in its infancy and therefore posed few risks. While the Commission did release a list of 18 recommendations for the development and oversight of the field, many have yet to be completed, despite a 2012 deadline for some of the recommendations. Friends of the Earth, which calls synthetic biology extreme genetic engineering, prepared its report in response to the assertion that little or no government regulation was needed for this type of research.
A spokesperson for the Presidential Commission told ScienceInsider that it welcomes the new input from Friends of the Earth. But Brent Erickson from the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) told ScienceInsider that the environmental organizations report lacked objectivity and a clear understanding of synthetic biology. Its not like we dont have experience in dealing with those organisms, he said. There are a lot of safeguards in place.
In response, The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, which has been tracking the governments progress on the Commissions recommendations, put out a call for public input, launching a survey that addresses the ethical, legal, and social implications of synthetic biology.
By Jef Akst
The FDA considers making some drugs for diabetes, asthma, and other ailments available over the counter.
By Sabrina Richards
Researchers succeed in magnetizing yeast cells, providing insight into how magnetism could be genetically induced in other organisms.
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A Call to Ban Synthetic Biology
Public release date: 14-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Steven Lenhert lenhert@bio.fsu.edu 850-645-9401 Florida State University
New technology being developed at Florida State University could significantly decrease the cost of drug discovery, potentially leading to increased access to high-quality health care and cancer patients receiving personalized chemotherapy treatments.
The details, which are spelled out in a recent publication of the journal Biomaterials, outline the work of Steven Lenhert, a Florida State biology assistant professor and principal investigator on the research effort.
"Right now, cancer patients receive chemotherapy treatments that are based on the accumulated knowledge of what has worked best for people with similar cancers," Lenhert said. "This is the case because hospitals don't have the technology to test thousands of different chemotherapy mixtures on the tumor cells of an individual patient. This technology could give them access to that capability, making the treatments truly personalized and much more effective."
The key to Lenhert's invention is miniaturizing the first phase of a process used by pharmaceutical companies to discover new drugs. Right now, these companies use large, specialized laboratories to test hundreds of thousands of compounds on different cell cultures in a process known as high throughput screening. The equipment and manpower cost is substantial, even though only a tiny fraction of the compounds will ever make it to the next phase of testing.
Lenhert's technology miniaturizes that process by printing all of the compounds on a single glass surface and testing them on cells using an innovative technique involving liposome microarrays, which are basically collections of drug-containing oil drops on a surface. If fully employed in the pharmaceutical industry, this technology would make the cost of this expensive process a thousand times cheaper, creating the potential for personalized cancer treatments, lower-cost medicine and more affordable, higher-quality health care options.
"In looking at the first phase of the drug-discovery process, it struck me how, in this age of extreme miniaturization, we are still using rooms full of robots and equipment to test drug compounds," Lenhert said. "It reminded me of the early days of computers where you needed huge, room-spanning pieces of hardware to do the most mundane tasks. I said, 'There has to be a better way.'"
Lenhert's nanotechnology has been demonstrated as a proof of concept on a small scale with cells commonly grown in university laboratories. His research group is now working on scaling their technology up to the high levels needed to achieve medically relevant benefits. For personalized medicine applications, the "lab on a chip" technology could then be applied to cells obtained from patients through biopsies so doctors can determine which drugs will work on a particular patient. Depending on funding, Lenhert expects that the technology could be made commercially available after two years of development.
"We have taken an important first step in making liposome microarray technology viable for the pharmaceutical and medical industries," said Aubrey Kusi-Appiah, a graduate student in Lenhert's research group and first author on the published work. "We have established that it can be done."
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Biology researcher on verge of major breakthrough in drug creation process
Synthetic biology could boost the effectiveness of artemisinin
Flickr/Gates Foundation
More than 100 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have called for greater international oversight of the emerging science of synthetic biology including a moratorium on the release and commercial use of synthetic organisms and their products until the potential risks are fully understood.
Synthetic biology is a broad term covering new approaches to the development of biological functions and systems that are not normally found in nature, including the design and modification of living organisms at the genetic level.
There are high hopes that the field might generate cheaper, more effective drugs, including a synthetic version of the malaria drug artemisinin, biological computers, and innovative ways of disposing of hazardous waste.
But critics are concerned about the potential risks for human health and the environment.
At a meeting in Washington D.C. hosted by Friends of the Earth (12 March) a global coalition of environmental, social, scientific and indigenous and human rights groups including several from Africa, Asia, and Latin American jointly endorsed a framework they said should guide the research and commercialisation of synthetic biology technologies.
The Principles for the Oversight of Synthetic Biology is the "first document from civil society that outlines how synthetic biology should be regulated", according to Eric Hoffman, genetic technology policy campaigner at Friends of the Earth in the United States.
Applying the precautionary principle would mean a moratorium on the release or commercial use of synthetic organisms, cells and genomes, until regulatory bodies have considered the risks and a total ban on any attempt to change the human genome, the document said.
"Any alterations to the human genome through synthetic biology particularly inheritable genetic changes are too risky and fraught with ethical concerns," it stated.
Read more from the original source:
NGOs call for international regulation of synthetic biology
Two North Middle School students will be heading to the Hoosier State Science and Engineering Fair in Indianapolis after taking part in the 2012 Tri-State Science and Engineering Fair held at the University of Southern Indiana on Thursday.
Sheridan Forker placed first in behavioral and social sciences, and Addison Watson placed first in animal science.
"We have been competing in the Tri-state Science and Engineering Fair for over 12 years," said North Middle School science teacher Terry Bennett. "I am not aware of us being able to send anyone to the state competition prior to this year."
The Indianapolis fair will be held at IUPUI on March 31. The event is sponsored by the Science Education Foundation of Indiana.
Meanwhile, a total of 170 students from North Middle competed at the fair held at USI, and the following students earned top awards out of a pool of nearly 500 students from the Tri-state area:
Chase Becker, second place, Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
Rodrigo Daboin, third place, Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
Alyssa Weber, second place, Microbiology and Molecular Biology.
Jennifer Horn, third place, Microbiology and Molecular Biology.
Cole Privette, second place, Animal Science.
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Two students head to state science fair
Special to The T&D The Times and Democrat | Posted: Thursday, March 15, 2012 6:00 am |
Students and members of the community are invited to come see the exciting science programs and visionary research at Claflin Universitys Undergraduate STEM and Behavioral Science Research Symposium on Friday, March 23.
Dr. Maydianne C.B. Andrade, research chair in integrative behavioral ecology at the University of Toronto at Scarborough, Canada, will serve as the keynote speaker.
This symposium will heighten awareness for our fantastic research and academic programs in the community and far beyond, said Dr. Verlie Tisdale, dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
In addition to Andrades remarks, there will be a poster session based on the research of Claflin students, oral presentations from graduate students and tours of the state-of-the-art Molecular Science Research Center and the James S. Thomas Science Center.
Andrades current position was awarded to her by the Canadian government. She has been on the faculty at the University of Toronto at Scarborough since 2004. She received a Ph.D. in neurobiology and behavior from Cornell University, where she received the Clark Distinguished Teaching Award. In 2007, she was acknowledged with the African Canadian Achievement Award for Excellence in Science.
Andrade was also featured in a 2002 edition of Canadas Time Magazine as a person who will define the next frontier of science. She also was named among the 10 most brilliant young scientists in North American by Popular Magazine.
Tisdale said the main goal of the symposium is to assemble members of the science community from South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. Another aim, Tisdale noted, is to highlight the significant research strength of Claflins master of biotechnology degree program. Claflin is home to the South Carolina Center for Biotechnology, where world-renowned researcher Dr. Omar Bagasra is the director.
Prospective students of the master of biotechnology program are eligible for full tuition and a monthly stipend through the U.S. Department of Education. The center has assembled a massive portfolio of research projects since opening in 2005, tackling such issues as HIV/AIDS, cancer, organ transplantation and diabetes.
Undergraduate and graduate students at Claflin will orally present their research during the symposiums afternoon session.
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Undergraduate STEM/Behavioral Science Research Symposium set
Ellen Pompeo, Shonda Rhimes, Kate Walsh
Shonda Rhimes truly is a busy lady. Not only does she executive-produce two shows on the air Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice but her new political drama Scandal premieres next month, and she's got a period piece in contention at ABC. And while there's speculation her load could lighten should Grey's or Private fail to be renewed, Rhimes assures us that's not likely. TVGuide.com caught up with the showrunner for an uncensored look at everything on her plate, including actors' contracts, Private's move to Tuesdays and her upcoming projects.
You have two shows on the air with a third premiering next month and a fourth in development. What does a typical day look like? Shonda Rhimes: It's busy, but oddly enough, with Grey's in Season 8, Private in Season 5, and Scandal wrapped for the season, I feel like I've learned my job well enough that I hope that's it not too taxing. It's mentally taxing, but somehow I feel like I've finally figured it out and hit a stride where everything clicks the way it should.
At the beginning of this production year on Grey's, there was some uncertainty about which actors would be continuing. How did it feel heading into what could have been the final season of Grey's Anatomy, or did you not even think of it that way? Rhimes: No, the network has not allowed me to think of it as being the final season of Grey's Anatomy. That wasn't even a concern for me. I know that Grey's is going to live on past this season. So whether or not I feel like it could, it's going to.
Watch full episodes of Grey's Anatomy
Will the next season be similar to what we've seen the last eight years or are you planning any major changes? Rhimes: Honestly, I really don't know. I feel committed to staying with the show as long as it feels interesting. I have some interesting ideas.
Was it difficult writing episodes not knowing who might or might not be returning? Or did you just charge ahead like you would during a normal season? Rhimes: No, we definitely didn't approach it the way I approach a normal season. But I like the challenge and that's been one of the things that's always been fun about getting to do this show; trying to figure out what the next challenge is going to be every season. This season the challenge was that we didn't know how the season was going to end. So in a way, it forced us to be creative in a different way. You want to keep it fresh after eight years and we were able to do that because we had this new problem to contend with.
The biggest question, obviously, is Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey. Do you have a back-up plan should they decide not to return? Rhimes: I can't even begin to address that concept.
There are a lot of major milestones coming up, things fans have been waiting a long time for. First, the McMansion. How long have you been waiting for that moment when it would finally be finished? Rhimes: I don't know if it's as big a moment for me as it's turned out to be for the fans. There were many times where we were like, "Oh, we should finish the house now." And it felt like we don't want to spend time dealing with the story of the house. There was a lot of that in some veins and then there were some moments in which it just didn't feel quite right. It does feel right to deal with it and talk about it and have it be done at the end of Season 8 when Meredith is graduating from being a resident.
Catch up on Grey's Anatomy with our episode recaps
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Anatomy of Shonda Rhimes, the Busiest Woman in Hollywood
BELLINGHAM - Scientific measurements of the biochemistry of Lake Whatcom showed some improvement in 2011, but that is probably the result of a cool summer, not human efforts to control polluting runoff.
So says Robin Matthews, the lead scientist on the annual lake water monitoring effort commissioned by the city. Matthews is director of the Institute for Watershed Studies at Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University.
"I think we got a break last summer," Matthews said.
Cold and cloudy conditions kept water temperatures lower, and that delayed and diminished the annual explosion of algae populations that have affected lake quality in previous summers.
In the hotter summer of 2009, the algae concentrations got so high that they caused a serious cut in the capacity of the city's water treatment plant, resulting in mandatory water use restrictions. But even in a cool year like 2011, the algae growth was still enough to reduce the system's capacity, Matthews said.
While the scientific measurements taken in 2011 did show a reduction in levels of phosphorus and algae, Matthews said she believes the reductions were minor, and the summer's lower temperatures probably account for those reductions.
"It (pollution measurement) is down a little but it's not down much," Matthews said. "It doesn't show an improvement from watershed changes."
Matthews refuses to draw conclusions from any single year's worth of lake water measurements. Instead, she points to the whole series of measurements going back to 1994. Those measurements show year-to-year fluctuations, but a general rising trend in both phosphorus concentrations and algae growth.
As Matthews explained it, the lake's problems stem from phosphorus-laden runoff that is made worse by human activities in the watershed. The phosphorus nourishes algae growth, and the dead algae become food for bacteria. The bacteria, in turn, deplete dissolved oxygen and make the lake less hospitable to fish.
And it becomes a vicious circle, because the lower oxygen levels result in chemical changes that release additional phosphorus from compounds and make it usable for algae food.
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Cool 2011 summer helped Lake Whatcom water quality a bit
Public release date: 14-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Clea Desjardins clea.desjardins@concordia.ca 514-848-2424 x5068 Concordia University
This press release is available in French.
Montreal -- Canada defines itself as a nation that stretches from coast to coast to coast. But can we keep those coasts healthy in the face of climate change? Yves Glinas, associate professor in Concordia's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has found the solution in a surprising element: iron.
In a study published in Nature, Glinas along with Concordia PhD candidate Karine Lalonde and graduate Alexandre Ouellet, as well as McGill colleague Alfonso Mucci studies the chemical makeup of sediment samples from around the world ocean to show how iron oxides remove carbon dioxide from our atmosphere.
"People around the planet are fighting to reduce the amount of CO2 pumped into the atmosphere in the hopes of reducing climate change. But when it comes to getting rid of the CO2 that's already there, nature herself plays an important role," Glinas explains. CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and safely trapped on the ocean floor through a natural reaction that fixes the molecule to organic carbon on the surface of large bodies of water.
How exactly does that fixation process work? "For well over a decade, the scientific community has held onto the hypothesis that tiny clay minerals were responsible for preserving that specific fraction of organic carbon once it had sunk to the seabed," explains Mucci, whose related research was picked as one of the top 10 Scientific Discoveries of the year by Qubec Science. Through careful analysis of sediments from all over the world, Glinas and his team found that iron oxides were in fact responsible for trapping one fifth of all the organic carbon deposited on the ocean floor.
With this new knowledge comes increased concern: iron oxides are turning into what might be termed endangered molecules. As their name suggests, iron oxides can only form in the presence of oxygen, meaning that a well-oxygenated coastal ecosystem is necessary for the iron oxides to do their work in helping to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But there has been a worrying decrease in dissolved oxygen concentrations found in certain coastal environments and this trend is expanding. Locations once teeming with life are slowly becoming what are known as "dead zones" in which oxygen levels in the surface sediment are becoming increasingly depleted. That familiar culprit, man-made pollution, is behind the change.
Major rivers regularly discharge pollutants from agricultural fertilizers and human waste directly into lake and coastal environments, leading to a greater abundance of plankton. These living organisms are killed off at a greater rate and more organic carbon is sinking to the bottom waters, causing even greater consumption of dissolved oxygen. This makes the problem of low dissolved oxygen levels even worse. If the amount of oxygen in an aquatic environment decreases beyond a certain point, iron oxides stop being produced, thus robbing that environment of a large fraction of its natural ability to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
But there is hope. "This study also represents an indirect plea towards reducing the quantities of fertilizers and other nutrient-rich contaminants discharged in aquatic systems" explains Lalonde, who Glinas credits with much of the work behind this elemental study. She hopes that better understanding the iron-organic carbon stabilizing mechanism could "eventually lead to new ways of increasing the rate of organic carbon burial in sediments."
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Fielding questions about climate change
March 14, 2012, 8:04 a.m.
First Bell starts this spring-like Wednesday morning with some good news: Mimi Yen, a student at Stuyvesant High School, was a top finalist in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search for her studies of microscopic worms.
Mimi, 17, who lives in Brooklyn, was awarded third-place honors and a $50,000 prize Tuesday night after the final round of the competition in Washington. In a news release, the Intel Science Talent Search folks, who call the annual event the nations most elite and demanding high school research competition, described her work as a study of evolution and genetics, which focuses on microscopic worms, specifically looking at their sex habits and hermaphrodite tendencies.
The news release goes on to say:
Mimi believes that through research such as hers, we may better understand the genes that contribute to behavioral variations in humans. Mimi was born in Honduras and is fluent in Cantonese. She plays French horn and volunteers to prepare and deliver meals to people with serious illnesses.
In January, SchoolBook profiled Mimi and the two other students from New York City who made the Intel finals Huihui Fan, 17, from Staten Island, also from Stuyvesant, who studied how to genetically improve the shape of crop plants roots; and Danielle Goldman, 17, of the Bronx High School of Science, who studied anxiety disorders among young people.
Mimi responded to an e-mail from Elbert Chu, the reporter for that profile, the day before the finals in Washington, saying: The week is winding down now were going to be meeting our senators tomorrow and then were headed to the gala for the awards ceremony.
She went on to say: Ive been making notes of the week thus far, just in case any future finalists from Stuyvesant need some guidance. Its been really fun all the other finalists are such interesting people. Although the judging interviews were pretty brutal, they were also incredibly humbling makes me realize just how much more there is to learn.
Congratulations to Mimi, as well as Huihui and Danielle. And kudos, as well, to a student from Westchester County, who took fifth place and was awarded $30,000 in the competition: Benjamin van Doren of White Plains, who investigated a poorly understood behavior of nocturnal migratory birds, called morning flight, which has potential implications for the growing wind power industry.
In other news this Wednesday, The Daily News reports that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is trying to drum up public support for the deal he brokered in January with the teachers unions that established the framework for a new teacher evaluation system.
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SchoolBook: Brooklyn Student Takes Third Place in National Intel Competition
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
From medical treatments to alternative energy solutions, innovation has been top of mind in our nations capital this week. Honoring high school seniors with exceptional promise in math and science, Intel Corporation and Society for Science & the Public (SSP) recognized the winners of the nations most elite and demanding high school research competition, the Intel Science Talent Search.
Nithin Tumma, 17, of Fort Gratiot, Mich., won the top award of $100,000 from the Intel Foundation for his research, which could lead to more direct, targeted, effective and less toxic breast cancer treatments. He analyzed the molecular mechanisms in cancer cells and found that by inhibiting certain proteins, we may be able to slow the growth of cancer cells and decrease their malignancy. Nithin is first in his class of 332, a varsity tennis player and a volunteer for the Port Huron Museum, where he started a restoration effort for historical and cultural landmarks.
Second place honors and $75,000 went to Andrey Sushko, 17, of Richland, Wash., for his development of a tiny motor, only 7 mm (almost 1/4 inch) in diameter, which uses the surface tension of water to turn its shaft. Born in Russia, Andrey worked from home to create his miniature motor, which could pave the way for other micro-robotic devices. Andrey, a long-time builder of small boats, recently filed for a Guinness World Record for the smallest radio-controlled sailing yacht.
Third place honors and $50,000 went to Mimi Yen, 17, of Brooklyn, N.Y., for her study of evolution and genetics, which focuses on microscopic worms, specifically looking at their sex habits and hermaphrodite tendencies. Mimi believes that through research such as hers, we may better understand the genes that contribute to behavioral variations in humans. Mimi was born in Honduras and is fluent in Cantonese. She plays French horn and volunteers to prepare and deliver meals to people with serious illnesses.
These finalists join the ranks of other notable Science Talent Search alumni who over the past 70 years have gone on to win seven Nobel Prizes, two Fields Medals, four National Medals of Science, 11 MacArthur Foundation Fellowships and even an Academy Award for Best Actress.
We invest in Americas future when we recognize the innovative achievements of our nations brightest young minds, said Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini. Hands-on experience with math and science, such as that required of Intel Science Talent Search finalists, encourages young people to think critically, solve problems and understand the world around them. Rather than simply memorizing facts and formulas, or repeating experiments with known outcomes, this competition engages students in an exciting way and provides a deeper level of understanding in such important but challenging subjects.
Other top honors from the competition include:
Fourth Place: Fengning (David) Ding of Albany, Calif. received a $40,000 award for his work on representation theory of Cherednik algebras, a topic in theoretical mathematics that sheds light on deformations of important symmetries, which are related to conservation laws.
Fifth Place: Benjamin van Doren of White Plains, N.Y. received a $30,000 award for investigating a poorly understood behavior of nocturnal migratory birds, called morning flight, which has potential implications for the growing wind power industry.
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Teenager Unlocks Potential Pathways for Breast Cancer Treatments, Wins Intel Science Talent Search
March 14, 2012, 8:04 a.m.
First Bell starts this spring-like Wednesday morning with some good news: Mimi Yen, a student at Stuyvesant High School, was a top finalist in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search for her studies of microscopic worms.
Mimi, 17, who lives in Brooklyn, was awarded third-place honors and a $50,000 prize Tuesday night after the final round of the competition in Washington. In a news release, the Intel Science Talent Search folks, who call the annual event the nations most elite and demanding high school research competition, described her work as a study of evolution and genetics, which focuses on microscopic worms, specifically looking at their sex habits and hermaphrodite tendencies.
The news release goes on to say:
Mimi believes that through research such as hers, we may better understand the genes that contribute to behavioral variations in humans. Mimi was born in Honduras and is fluent in Cantonese. She plays French horn and volunteers to prepare and deliver meals to people with serious illnesses.
In January, SchoolBook profiled Mimi and the two other students from New York City who made the Intel finals Huihui Fan, 17, from Staten Island, also from Stuyvesant, who studied how to genetically improve the shape of crop plants roots; and Danielle Goldman, 17, of the Bronx High School of Science, who studied anxiety disorders among young people.
Mimi responded to an e-mail from Elbert Chu, the reporter for that profile, the day before the finals in Washington, saying: The week is winding down now were going to be meeting our senators tomorrow and then were headed to the gala for the awards ceremony.
She went on to say: Ive been making notes of the week thus far, just in case any future finalists from Stuyvesant need some guidance. Its been really fun all the other finalists are such interesting people. Although the judging interviews were pretty brutal, they were also incredibly humbling makes me realize just how much more there is to learn.
Congratulations to Mimi, as well as Huihui and Danielle. And kudos, as well, to a student from Westchester County, who took fifth place and was awarded $30,000 in the competition: Benjamin van Doren of White Plains, who investigated a poorly understood behavior of nocturnal migratory birds, called morning flight, which has potential implications for the growing wind power industry.
In other news this Wednesday, The Daily News reports that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is trying to drum up public support for the deal he brokered in January with the teachers unions that established the framework for a new teacher evaluation system.
Original post:
Brooklyn Student Takes Third Place in National Intel Competition