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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- July 13, 2004
- Contact: Donna Krupa
- American Physiological Society
(301) 634-7209
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APS
Recognizes Intel ISEF High School Finalists For Experiments in Physiology
Portland, Oregon –
The American Physiological Society presented special awards for outstanding
projects in physiology, including cellular physiology, animal physiology,
and neurophysiology, to four finalists at the 55th Annual
International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), sponsored by Intel Corp.
Allison Jaye Landstrom, a
senior from Southridge High School, Beaverton, Oregon, was a
unanimous choice for the APS first prize of $1,000. She studied whether most
anterior cruciate ligament tears in females result from an enhanced response
to relaxin, a polypeptide hormone. Ms. Landstrom used porcine tissues
(Achilles tendon strips) in an in vitro study done entirely in her school
laboratory. Her paper was entitled, The Effects of the Relaxin Hormone
on the Laxity of Male and Female Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tissue, in vitro.
Samuel Gregory Finlayson,
a freshman from San Ramon Valley High School, Danville, California,
was awarded the APS second prize of $500. He performed much of his project
outside the laboratory as he studied the effects of chlorine on the lung
function of outdoor swimmers. The APS judges were led by P.K. Rangachari,
professor of pharmacology and therapeutics at the University of Alberta,
Canada, who said, “Mr. Finlayson’s study was a neat example of integrative
physiology.” His study was entitled, Effect of Chlorine on Lung Function
of Outdoor Swimmers.
The two third prize
winners, who received $500 each, were John Zeqi Luo of Bishop Hendricken
High School, Warwick, Rhode Island, and Jason Scott Pellegrino from
Manhasset High School, Manhasset, New York.
Both worked on different
aspects of glucose homeostasis. John Luo focused on the effects of an
extract of American ginseng root on insulin secretion in beta cells (Alternative
Medicine: A Relief for Diabetes, Phase 3). Jason Pellegrino used
transgenic mice for his project (Analysis of Metformin’s Effect on Brain
Insulin Receptors).
In addition to the four
award winners, the APS judging team recognized two other students with
honorable mentions: Julian Clint Hong, a senior from Ronald Reagan High
School in San Antonio, Texas (Restraining Restenosis: Combating
Vascular Disease –Year 4) and Lisha Laura Constantine, a senior
from the American Senior High School in Hialeah, Florida (Characterization
of a Truncated Form of Slow Skeletal Troponin T that Causes Nemaline
Myopathy). These students received a one-year subscription to
Physiology, the new invited-review journal from APS, which also
publishes 13 other peer-reviewed journals.
In addition to Dr.
Rangachari, who was representing the APS Education Committee, the other APS
judges were: Virginia Brooks, Charles Roselli and John Resko, all from the
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the Oregon Health and Sciences
University, Portland, Oregon.
Editor’s note
A photo of Dr. Rangachari
and the four award winners is available upon request. Please contact Donna Krupa, APS Communications Officer, (301) 634-7209 or
dkrupa@the-aps.org.
# # #
The American Physiological Society is a
professional scientific membership organization devoted to fostering
scientific research, education, and the dissemination of scientific
information.
The APS supports a variety of educational
activities including programs and fellowships to encourage the development
of young scientists at the undergraduate and graduate levels, with a
particular focus on women and underrepresented minorities.
APS also supports refresher courses and
teaching awards promoting continued excellence in education at the
professional level. In May 2004, APS received the Presidential Award for
Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM).
Founded in 1887, the Society's membership
includes more than 10,000 professionals in science and medicine.
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