The work of Summit Country Day School sophomore Irene Calderon was accepted into two state science meetings and qualified for the 72nd State Science Day.
Irene, of Hyde Park, had an abstract on research that she performed during the 2018-2019 school year accepted for poster presentation at Ohio’s Academy of Science 129th Annual Meeting. The meeting would have been held on April 18 at Cleveland State University but was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Accepted abstracts that were submitted in November 2019, are recognized as valid scientific research and will be published in The Ohio Journal of Science, Volume 120, No. 1.
In her project, “Genes Associated with NOD-like Receptor Pathways are Upregulated in Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus,” Irene compared gene expression of CLE skin samples to normal skin samples to determine the role the innate immune system might play.
Irene developed a continuation of last year’s science fair project. Entitled “Genes Associated with Nucleotide-Binding Oligomerization Domain-Like Receptor Signaling Pathway Are Upregulated in Different Subtypes of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus,” this project received superior scores at the Southwest Ohio Science and Engineering Fair (SEE). In this study, the gene expression of the three subtypes of CLE is compared to normal skin samples.
Scheduled for March 14, SEE was conducted virtually this year. Students submitted their research plan, a research paper, photos of their research poster and a video recording of their poster presentation for virtual judging. State Science Day, now schedule for early June, will also be a virtual fair. Irene was one of four Summit students whose work qualified for State Science Day.
Additionally, Irene’s project was accepted into the poster competition for the 57th Ohio Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) hosted by Bowling Green State University. This project is entitled, “Upregulation of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1 (STAT1) in Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus.”
The JSHS program encompasses forty-eight regional symposia reaching students throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and DOD Schools in Europe and the Pacific. Two student finalists and three delegates from the each regional JSHS program usually are chosen for an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the National JSHS in Norfolk, Va., in April. The annual Ohio meeting, scheduled for March 11-13, and the National JSHS, also were cancelled because of the pandemic.
"Scientific meetings and conferences are an authentic way for our young scientists to experience the scientific communication portion of the process of science,” said Jessica Replogle, Ph.D., head of The Summit’s Science Research Institute. “Our student scientists can share their achievements with parents, educators, scientists and peers from other schools and regions around the state. Sharing these achievements provide our students with a sense of pride and instills confidence in these developing young scientists. I am grateful that The Summit had a student prepared to submit abstracts to these unique scientific events.”