2014 Maryland BioGENEius Challenge Winner
Early Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment through the Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells using Drop-based Microfluidics Kushi Ranganath, Thomas S. Wootton HS
Effects of pancreatic α cell-specific deficiency of the G protein α-subunit (Gsα) on islet cell morphology
Runner Up Vishnu Rachakonda, Eleanor Roosevelt HS
Fast electron paramagnetic resonance imaging to study fluctuating tumor physiology: Use of conjugate symmetry of k-Space and trajectory design for image data acquisition
Runner Up
MdBio Foundation named Montgomery Blair High School senior Neil Davey, of Gaithersburg, MD, as the winner of the 2014 Maryland BioGENEius Challenge, the premier competition for high school students that recognizes outstanding research in biotechnology. In late June, Davey will travel to San Diego, CA to compete in the International BioGENEius Challenge at the 2014 BIO International Convention.
“The Maryland BioGENEius award recognizes the best and brightest students in our community, and this year we had several students who impressed us with their phenomenal projects,” said Brian Gaines, CEO of the MdBio Foundation, Inc. “We are proud to have Neil represent Maryland in the national competition and [are] deeply encouraged by the high level of scientific exploration our state’s students are undertaking.”
Davey was selected as the Maryland winner based on his project, Early Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment through the Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells using Drop-based Microfluidics. His project featured breakthrough technology that enables the early detection of cancers through a combination of drop-based microfluidics and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). His research focused on the detection of circulating tumor cell genes, which is believed to be the “holy grail” of early cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Runners up in the Maryland competition included Kushi Ranganath, a junior at Thomas S. Wootton High School whose project was entitled Effects of pancreatic α cell-specific deficiency of the G protein α-subunit (Gsα) on islet cell morphology; and Vishnu Rachakonda, a senior at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, whose project was on Fast electron paramagnetic resonance imaging to study fluctuating tumor physiology: Use of conjugate symmetry of k-Space and trajectory design for image data acquisition.
While at BIO in San Diego, Davey’s project will compete against those of other students from across the country and Canada in the International BioGENEius Challenge. The first place winner in the International competition will receive a $7,500 cash prize.
