STUDENT RESEARCH SHOWCASE 2020 PRESENTATIONS

Chemistry

The Effects Of Mercury Intake Through Mascara Application On The Human Condition
Jaynie Curzi, American Heritage School Boca Delray

An experiment testing hair samples of various mascara users with a heavy metal detector test in order to test if mercury, a dangerous preservative used in mascara, is biologically present in mascara-users.

Fighting Evolving Bacteria: Synthesis and Evaluation of Carbapenem Antibiotics Targeting Acinetobacter baumannii
Rahul Garikapati and Khang Tran, Coppell High School

The project seeks to explore the various ways with which the structure of Carbapenem antibiotics can be altered in order to combat evolving pathogens of the 21st century. The novel atypically modified Carbapanem antibiotics are then evaluated and compared to commercially available carbapenems. With their increased potency, these redesigned carbapenems can potentially save thousands of lives every year.

Using Machine Learning and Computational Modeling in 3-D to Design Metal-Halide Perovskite Crystals with Optimal Output for Photovoltaics
Victor Ghosh, Bronx High School of Science

Using Tumblr, google slides, and a video I unearth the importance of using machine learning to learn from our failures in order to produce more successful perovskite crystals for use in photovoltaics.

Better than Gold Rush: Search for Nano-Platinum Drugs Against Lung Cancer
Esther Guo, Pleasant Grove High School

In this presentation, I describe how I experimented with anticancer nano-formulations against lung cancer.

Application of pH-Responsive Nanogels for Targeted Drug Delivery
Tommy Nguyen and Ashanah Gayden, Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology

We engineered polymer nanoparticles that can hold drug solutions and selectively release them only at acidic body sites such as near cancer or kidney disease for targeted drug delivery.

Synthesis of Spiky Nanoparticles
Veronica Pimenova, Seneca Valley High School

The purpose of this project was to make and describe new nanoparticles (NP) proposed for use in air pollution reduction. An attempt was made to synthesize zinc oxide on polystyrene beads as a potential spiky pigment, without need for a dispersant. In the second part of the project gold shells on polystyrene core catalyst particles were synthesized and characterized. Finally, gold nanoparticles in diluted solutions were made and used to adsorb H2S from polluted air. A modified Turkevich method was used to make the gold NP. The process was optimized using a Six Sigma Design of Experiment approach.

Discovery of New Heteroaryl Aromatase Inhibitors through Computer Modeling
Ayanav Roy, William Mason High School

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, so the search for effective treatment is an urgent one. Fortunately, aromatase inhibitors provide a new approach for the discovery of breast cancer drugs, by blocking the production of estrogen rather than simply stopping its function.

Efficiencies of Enzymo-Chemical Reactions in Capture of Carbon Dioxide
Sanshray Singh, American Heritage School Plantation

My presentation encompasses my research into the efficiency of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase to catalyze a series of chemical reactions involving calcium hydroxide and water to effectively capture carbon dioxide into a solid form; and how this was achieved. I undertook this research in order to work towards a way to help solve the massive problem of greenhouse gas propelled global warming we have on our hands as a species. Global warming at its current rate means a much bleaker future for humanity, replete with more intense natural disasters, rising sea levels, mass wild life die offs, worse agriculture, and more. Trapping CO2 in a cheaper, less leakage prone, and less energy intensive reaction process than current methods would greatly contribute to this mission: keeping as much carbon as we can out of the atmosphere to slow global warming.

A Novel Automated Analytical Differentiation Framework and Its Applications in Accurate and Fast Reacting Flow Simulations
Sophie Wang, The Harker School

The purpose of this project is to create an automated Analytical Differentiation Framework (ADF) to shift the analytical efforts performed by humans to the computers. Numerical modeling is a key approach to understanding the dynamic processes in complex chemical reacting flows, e.g. those involved in internal combustion engines, propulsion, and industrial reactors. The core of those simulations involves the solution of a system of differential equations together with initial and/or boundary conditions. The key design choices and various optimization techniques for the ADF are presented. The framework removes the need for inaccurate and non-scalable methods of finite differences or manual derivation. Test results using combustion simulation demonstrate that the framework achieves fast and accurate analytical evaluation of any higher orders of differentiations. These results suggest that the numerical modeling of various applications will directly benefit from ADF to achieve high accuracy and efficiency.

The Effect of Cyanoacrylate on the Setting Time and Adhesive Strength of a Nitrocellulose Based Liquid Bandage: A Proof of Principle Study
Nolan Wen, American Heritage School Boca Delray

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of cyanoacrylate (Starbond) concentration on setting time and adhesive strength of a nitrocellulose-based liquid bandage (CVS). The setting time experiments and adhesive strength experiments were performed. Each formulation was applied between an eye strap and porcelain surface as well as in between two hex nuts, and the breaking force (adhesive strength) was measured after twelve hours of curing with spring scales and a digital luggage scale. Results showed that the mixtures of cyanoacrylate glue and liquid bandage set significantly faster than pure cyanoacrylate glue or liquid bandage. It is very interesting to observe that the setting time on porcine skin was much shorter as compared to the other substrates. The preliminary findings from this study indicated that a faster setting, a more adhesive liquid bandage could be further developed for clinical use.

Optimizing the Process of Protein Encapsulation for Potential Applications in Intranasal and Oral Drug Delivery
Ashni Zaverchand, American Heritage School Plantation

My presentation aims to explain the research conducted in which the study tried to overcome the challenges associated with intranasal and oral drug delivery for peptide-based therapeutics through nanoprecipitation of the model protein utilized (pepsin) into nanoparticles (NPs), followed by coating with chitosan, a polymer, and then characterized to assess suitability for intranasal and oral drug delivery.

STUDENT RESEARCH SHOWCASE 2020 PRESENTATIONS

Chemistry

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