Science isn’t just a way to learn about the world around us. It also can be a way to make the world a better place. The desire to help others drove the research of several finalists in this year’s Regeneron Science Talent Search, or STS. These young researchers are using science to boost the health and safety of people in their communities.
STS is a science and math competition for high school seniors. It is run by the Society for Science, which also publishes Science News Explores. Each year, 40 finalists gather to share their research findings and compete for more than $1.8 million in prizes. Science News Explores spoke with three of the 2023 finalists about their inspirations, challenges and advice for science fair entrants.
Kamisi Adetunji
Kamisi, 17, aimed to improve treatment for sickle cell disease. This genetic condition causes red blood cells to curve, or sickle. That makes it harder for those cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Natural compounds called flavonoids were known to reduce this sickling. By tweaking the chemical structure of flavonoids extracted from fruits, Kamisi was able to boost their anti-sickling powers. Kamisi attends the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham.
What inspired this project?
“My family is Nigerian,” Kamisi says, and sickle cell disease mainly affects people of West African descent. “One day I was on a walk with my mom, and we were talking about a family friend [who] was currently battling sickle cell disease. And she was telling me about all the people back home that she knew who had it or have passed from it.” When Kamisi had the opportunity to do research at school, she says, “I immediately knew that I wanted to study sickle cell disease.”
What was your biggest challenge?
“The hardest part was definitely the discouragement aspect of it, because I had no prior heavy experience with science projects like this or research in general,”…
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