Post by Chris_Wendt on Jan 30, 2012 16:35:04 GMT -5
The four things I am referencing have nothing to do with football. They are the FOUR (4) Intel competition semifinalsts Mepham has had in the past 5 years. In addition to the research programs previously mentioned in the cases of the Calhoun and Bellmore-Kennedy Intel semifinalists (SUNY Stony Brook, Brookhanve National Laboratory, and Cold Spring Harbor Lab), Mepham High's crop of semifinalists has also added research at Yale University by one of their students.
Following is a recap gleaned from the anals of Mepham High's website, and Bellmore Patch.
Intel Talent Search Semifinalists
Mepham 2008
Mitchell Leibowitz for his project Genetic Relationships to Chill Diminished Volatiles within the Lipoxygenase Pathway in Tomato Fruit. The institute where he completed his work is the University of Michigan. Tomatoes are chilled to move them to market. Chilling decreases the aroma of the tomatoes, and it is unknown why. This particular type of gene is related to aroma compounds, and therefore was tested for decreased expression in chilled tomatoes. Aroma compound analyses and relative data on gene expression for these genes were collected. Data reveals that the one gene, 13-HPL, does not have decreased expression in chilled tomatoes. If decreased gene expression is the cause of decreased tomato flavor in chilled tomatoes, the responsible genes can be “edited” to allow for chilling without its negative results.
Isaac Degani for his project Pattern Recognition Applied to Signals Reflected by Atmospheric Ionization and Airborne Bodies from Forward Scattering Radar. The institute where he completed his work is Brookhaven National Laboratories. Isaac’s project involved the construction of an antenna array and design of a computer application to automatically discriminate between radio signals refled off airborne events such as meteors, airplanes, cosmic rays, and lighting strokes; and analyze the data from such events.
Mepham 2009
Jacob Spiegel, a senior at W. C. Mepham High School, worked at Cold Spring Harbor Lab under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Sebat, who is currently studying the connection between genetics and autism. After a summer of learning the ropes and working on a number of assignments for Dr. Sebat, Jake was offered the chance of conducting original research. Under the mentorship of Dr. Sebat and the guidance of Ms. Geraci, Jake conducted the original and relevant genetic research that is outlined below.
Little research has been done on TAS2R43 gene, which codes for bitter taste receptors. Jake was offered the opportunity to go to Yale and work with Drs. Kenneth and Judith Kidd, researchers at Yale University who maintain a stock of some 3,000 cells lines of individuals from all over the globe. Jake spent a week at Yale, obtaining DNA from these cell lines, in order to analyze the DNA to establish the distribution of CNVs for TAS2R43 among the human world population. It was hypothesized that populations within the same geographic region of origin will be very similar to one another; populations from different geographic regions of origin will be very different, in terms of genotype distribution and frequency of the TAS2R43 bitter taste receptor gene. Statistically significant differences in CNV of TAS2R43 among individuals of differing populations were found. Further analysis of the data suggests a trend in the varied distribution of the TAS2R43 gene copy number among human populations.
Mepham 2012 (from Bellmore Patch)
Bilal Siddiqui, 17, formed a deep interest in the latest developments of cancer treatments after his cousin was diagnosed with leukemia.
Siddiqui's project on cancer, Investigating Endogenous Expression 2, 3-dioxygenase in Metastic Melanoma, landed him as a 2012 Intel Semifinalist.
He was on a field trip at the DNA Learning Center in Cold Spring when he heard the news.
"I felt overwhelmed and my mind went numb," the Mepham High School senior said. "I was shocked, but it was a good kind of shocked."
Siddiqui looked at the tissues of patients with melanoma and found that the IDO gene, which is normally produced in humans to prevent an overactive immune system, caused the tumors of patients to grow, allowing the cancer to spread.
"We have to look into drugs that stop IDO from causing tumors to grow," he said.
Siddiqui also came in third in the International Intel Science and Engineering Fair in California for his research.
Dr. David Kommor, Mepham's science and research advisor of AP Biology, said he is proud of Siddiqui.
"He is one of the most passionate students that I have met," he said. "He is the real deal. He is so willing to help and has this wonderful curiosity."
Dr. Patrick Mannion, chair of the Mepham Science Department agreed.
"He is a great kid, a wonderful worker and a real credit to the school," he said.
When Siddiqui is not engrossed in his research, he is part of many honor societies and he works as a peer tutor for chemistry and math. He said that he will continue to study cancer and its developments and that he will major in biochemistry and medicine in college.
"The field of cancer is always evolving and there is always something new to learn," he said. "I am going to continue to look into this."
[End of Mepham High Intel Recap]
What incredible experiences our Wantagh kids are missing out on! Believe me...absolutely amazing experiences working in these programs.
Chris Wendt
Following is a recap gleaned from the anals of Mepham High's website, and Bellmore Patch.
Intel Talent Search Semifinalists
Mepham 2008
Mitchell Leibowitz for his project Genetic Relationships to Chill Diminished Volatiles within the Lipoxygenase Pathway in Tomato Fruit. The institute where he completed his work is the University of Michigan. Tomatoes are chilled to move them to market. Chilling decreases the aroma of the tomatoes, and it is unknown why. This particular type of gene is related to aroma compounds, and therefore was tested for decreased expression in chilled tomatoes. Aroma compound analyses and relative data on gene expression for these genes were collected. Data reveals that the one gene, 13-HPL, does not have decreased expression in chilled tomatoes. If decreased gene expression is the cause of decreased tomato flavor in chilled tomatoes, the responsible genes can be “edited” to allow for chilling without its negative results.
Isaac Degani for his project Pattern Recognition Applied to Signals Reflected by Atmospheric Ionization and Airborne Bodies from Forward Scattering Radar. The institute where he completed his work is Brookhaven National Laboratories. Isaac’s project involved the construction of an antenna array and design of a computer application to automatically discriminate between radio signals refled off airborne events such as meteors, airplanes, cosmic rays, and lighting strokes; and analyze the data from such events.
Mepham 2009
Jacob Spiegel, a senior at W. C. Mepham High School, worked at Cold Spring Harbor Lab under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Sebat, who is currently studying the connection between genetics and autism. After a summer of learning the ropes and working on a number of assignments for Dr. Sebat, Jake was offered the chance of conducting original research. Under the mentorship of Dr. Sebat and the guidance of Ms. Geraci, Jake conducted the original and relevant genetic research that is outlined below.
Little research has been done on TAS2R43 gene, which codes for bitter taste receptors. Jake was offered the opportunity to go to Yale and work with Drs. Kenneth and Judith Kidd, researchers at Yale University who maintain a stock of some 3,000 cells lines of individuals from all over the globe. Jake spent a week at Yale, obtaining DNA from these cell lines, in order to analyze the DNA to establish the distribution of CNVs for TAS2R43 among the human world population. It was hypothesized that populations within the same geographic region of origin will be very similar to one another; populations from different geographic regions of origin will be very different, in terms of genotype distribution and frequency of the TAS2R43 bitter taste receptor gene. Statistically significant differences in CNV of TAS2R43 among individuals of differing populations were found. Further analysis of the data suggests a trend in the varied distribution of the TAS2R43 gene copy number among human populations.
Mepham 2012 (from Bellmore Patch)
Bilal Siddiqui, 17, formed a deep interest in the latest developments of cancer treatments after his cousin was diagnosed with leukemia.
Siddiqui's project on cancer, Investigating Endogenous Expression 2, 3-dioxygenase in Metastic Melanoma, landed him as a 2012 Intel Semifinalist.
He was on a field trip at the DNA Learning Center in Cold Spring when he heard the news.
"I felt overwhelmed and my mind went numb," the Mepham High School senior said. "I was shocked, but it was a good kind of shocked."
Siddiqui looked at the tissues of patients with melanoma and found that the IDO gene, which is normally produced in humans to prevent an overactive immune system, caused the tumors of patients to grow, allowing the cancer to spread.
"We have to look into drugs that stop IDO from causing tumors to grow," he said.
Siddiqui also came in third in the International Intel Science and Engineering Fair in California for his research.
Dr. David Kommor, Mepham's science and research advisor of AP Biology, said he is proud of Siddiqui.
"He is one of the most passionate students that I have met," he said. "He is the real deal. He is so willing to help and has this wonderful curiosity."
Dr. Patrick Mannion, chair of the Mepham Science Department agreed.
"He is a great kid, a wonderful worker and a real credit to the school," he said.
When Siddiqui is not engrossed in his research, he is part of many honor societies and he works as a peer tutor for chemistry and math. He said that he will continue to study cancer and its developments and that he will major in biochemistry and medicine in college.
"The field of cancer is always evolving and there is always something new to learn," he said. "I am going to continue to look into this."
[End of Mepham High Intel Recap]
What incredible experiences our Wantagh kids are missing out on! Believe me...absolutely amazing experiences working in these programs.
Chris Wendt