Science Research

An individualized study of scientific topics run by the Mitchell Academy of Science and Technology, at Milken Community High School.

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Milana Bochkur Dratver: Cancer Stem Cells

           My name is Milana Bochkur Dratver and I am a member of the Mitchell Academy of Science and Technology. As part of a three-year science research program, students work with a mentor in their area of interest. I have always been interested in the medical field, and through the Science Research program, I have been given the opportunity to explore my interests in greater depth. I am currently a high school sophomore and I have been studying cancer stem cells. During the past several months, I have begun to research cancer stem cells in greater depth.  I have been reading informative articles alongside experiment-based articles in order to expand my knowledge of cancer stem cells’ metabolic processes, their role in the progression of cancer, and their similarities to stem cells. Their radioresistant properties make them an ideal area to focus on when developing novel treatments.Radiation is often able to destroy the majority of tumor cells because most of the tumor is not composed of these cancer stem cells. Cancer relapse occurs when these cancer stem cells continue to multiply and differentiate into other cancer cells, causing the regrowth of tumors.

           I have also begun to work at the Pajonk Laboratory at UCLA, and I will continue my work there throughout the summer. Through hands-on experience in this radiation and oncology laboratory, I hope to learn more and develop my own experiments. My current project involves building off of previous work done at this lab where I will characterize and study cells with low-proteasome activity (characteristic of cancer stem cells) with a specific focus on intestine normal stem cells. My goal is to identify differences between normal stem cells and cancer stem cells in the intestine. Identification and tracking of stem cells in the gut will help in the development of treatments to resist gut degeneration after radiation treatment. 

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Impairments of comorbid ADHD: Carly Nasch

Hello, my name is Carly Nasch and I am a sophomore here at Milken. I am a part of the MAST program and currently interested in researching children with ADHD. Specifically, I am studying the executive functioning and social impairment in children with comorbid ADHD. My research focuses on uncovering potential  behavioral deficits found in ADHD+ODD (Oppisitional Defian Disorder), ADHD+DBD (Disruptive Behavior Disorders). I am trying to understand the difference, if there is any, between boys and girls with the same disorders and the social impairments they deal with. There is a possibility of me working with an assistant professor in the Division of Child Psychiatry and the Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics at UCLA.

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Innovation In Direct-Injection Engines

My name is Jake Zingerman and I am in the Mitchell Academy of Science and Technology's Science Research program. I am currently researching new effective ways to innovate car engines, specifically direct-injection engines. I have always been interested in the engineering of automobiles which is why I have chosen to research this topic for the remainder of my highschool career. Hopefully by discovering new ways to run the directly-injected engines, we will be able to save energy, reduce global air pollutant emissions, while still enhancing the performance of the car.  

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Neural Prosthetics: Eli Patt

My name is Eli Patt and I am in the Mitchell Academy of Science and Technology’s Science Research class. I was inspired by my sister, who was born with a physical disability that impairs her speech, to study the brain and prosthetic devices. I am looking at brain-machine connections, and to explore the possibilities of either combining or replacing brain functions and commands with modern technology. The overall goal of my research is to find ways to restore functionality in damaged areas of the body, and do so by allowing the user to control the new prosthetic device using only their brain as if there was no prosthetic device even there. Currently I am looking at a procedure called targeted nerve reinnervation, a procedure in which remaining nerve fibers after an amputation are transferred to nearby muscles to control a prosthetic arm. The nerves control their new muscle in the same way as they used to, and the signals are recorded and interpreted to control movement in the missing limb. 

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Cryotherapy and Sports Injuries

My name is Adam Almany and I am currently attending Milken Community High School where I am researching sports related injuries and rehabilitation methods at the Mitchell Academy Science Technology (MAST). My main topic of interest is rehabilitation and orthopedic surgery related to sports injuries. I have researched Cryotherapy and its effect on post surgery patients. I also researched different injuries such as an Adductor Strain because I am curious in this field. I would like to explore different methods of rehabilitation and various surgical techniques involving broken bones and bruised tendons.   

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Arthroscopic Surgery on Rotator Cuffs

My name is Daniel Moossazadeh, and I am a student researcher in the Mitchell Academy of Science and Technology at Milken Community High school. When I first began my research I was broadly studying any topic of medical science that I could get my hands on. Through a selection of interest I have reached the conclusion that I will primarily focus my studies and research efforts onto orthopedic science and arthroscopic surgery, focusing on primarily sports and shoulder injuries. My current research is into the latest types of microsurgeries that increase the efficacy of rotator cuff repair while minimizing recovery time. I hope to work with a mentor at a local hospital or university in order to participate more in the most current research.

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Milana Bochkur Dratver: Cancer Stem Cells

During the past several months, I have begun to research cancer stem cells in greater depth.  I have been reading informative articles alongside experiment-based articles in order to expand my knowledge of cancer stem cells’ metabolic processes, their role in the progression of cancer, and their similarities to stem cells. Their radioresistant properties make them an ideal area to focus on when developing novel treatments.

Radiation is often able to destroy the majority of tumor cells because most of the tumor is not composed of these cancer stem cells. Cancer relapse occurs when these cancer stem cells continue to multiply and differentiate into other cancer cells, causing the regrowth of the tumor.

Cancer stem cell properties are not yet fully understood, and I plan to continue reading and gathering as much information about them that is currently available. 

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Jake Zingerman: Smart Water Technology

My name is Jake Zingerman and I am a Science Research Student studying a topic of my choice. As a sophomore at Milken Community High School, I am interested in researching a new and innovative technology, which was recently created by Phil Cleary; Smart Water Technology. Smart Water Technology is an anti-criminal system. All Smart Water has a SIN (Smart Water Identification Number) that is stored in the national police database. If a burglar were ever to invade a house or church, his fingerprints, which were left on the item that had Smart Water Technology applied on it, would be tracked down using the coding system that is embedded into the water. Nottingham has used this technology on thirty thousand homes and since the initiation, there has been reported a forty percent reduction in burglary.  By the year two thousand twelve, this industry is expected be over a sixteen billion dollar market. Rapidly, this market is growing and is changing the way we look at security. I have recently become extremely interested in this new technology and I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the technology as my high school years proceed.

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Telomerase and Anti-Aging Research

My name is Joshua Rusheen and I am a science research student in the Mitchell Academy of Science and Technology. My topic of interest is Telomeres and Telomerase, specifically the functions of the subunits of the telomerase enzyme such as the hTR and TERT domains.

Most of my research has been centered on why telomerase does not function as well in Eukaryotic cells as the cell ages. I have been studying the sub-domains of hTR generally, such as the P2b-P3 Pseudoknot and the P6.1 hairpin. I also took some time to understand some concerns that have risen in the scientific community about telomeres’ and telomerase’s link to cancer proliferation such as reading Telomeres and telomerase in cancer by Steve E. Artandi and Ronald A. DePinho.

Recently I have contacted Dr. Juli Feigon whose lab has done tremendous work mapping out the structure and functionality of the telomerase enzyme. I was fortunate enough for her to invite me to her lab and have her and others working in the lab talk to me more in depth about Telomerase.

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Eva Jason: Morphology

I am a 10th grade student at Milken Community High School. As part of a class called science research we must have an independent study and through our research we find an expert to intern for at least two weeks during the summer of 2012. I have focused my independent study on morphology, evolution, epigenetics, and the functions of the hox gene. These are all topics that I am very interested in and through my research I hope to further my knowledge and understanding of human morphology. 

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Nathan Hakkakzadeh: Consumer Satisfaction With Electronics

Hello, my name is Nathan Hakkakzadeh and I am currently in the MAST Science Research program where I am able to study the topic of my choice. I am currently interested in human-computer interaction, a interdisciplinary field that studies emotions, satisfactions, and much more involved when using a computer or other electronic device. I am most focused on satisfaction with mobile phones in specific and how negative emotions can cause loss of efficiency. Furthermore there are many unexplored applications of mobile phones that can save time and cause greater productivity such as automation.

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Brian Younessi: Energy and Wildlife

I am creating device which emits infrasonic waves in order to modify the flight path of migratory birds. It would serve to guide them around areas that are perilous to them such as wind farms and airport runways.

In California, along with other states, the production of wind farms has been limited due to bird injuries and bird deaths. According to the FAA, up to five hundred planes have been damaged due to bird collisions since 2000. A recent study by U.S. Geological Survey geophysicist Jon Hagstrum reveals that migratory bird flight patterns may be determined by infrasonic waves emitted by the earth’s surface. By modifying these waves, then, our product would redirect their flight paths in order to steer them away from dangerous areas.

Clean energy is a resource that is crucial in the United States and abroad; however, we currently cannot keep developing wind farms while ensuring the safety of birds. Thus, there must be a device created that will repel birds from the perimeters of a wind farm and ultimately save their lives and keep wind farms in business. Furthermore, these infrasonic waves can be used around airplane runways in order to prevent birds from damaging airplanes during takeoff and landing. This product is innovative because, unlike many scientists and environmentalists who suggest a complete relocation of wind farms in certain areas, we have proposed a way in which the wind farms can stay in the same place, but can have their problems addressed.

The key features involve creating a device that will emit infrasonic waves into the atmosphere that surrounds the wind farm or runway. In order to maximize efficiency, there will be motion detectors that will trigger the Bird Barrier and force it to emit the infrasonic waves. Its use around windmills will ensure birds’ safety, spur the creation of more wind farms, increase efficiency of existing wind farms, and increase both American independence from foreign oil and its reputation as an innovator. It has been proposed that one of the benefits of supporting green energy is job creation. According to a Booz Allen Hamilton study released by USGBC, green building will support or create 7.9 million jobs between 2009-2015 and will contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product. Our product would enhance these numbers due to the research, development, manufacturing, and increased numbers of possible wind farm construction. In addition, its use around runways will enhance flight safety, thereby saving lives.

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Liam Darmon: Immune System Enhancement and Cancer

I am Liam Darmon and I am researching the enhancement of the Immune system in order to detect and destroy cancer and/or other Incurable diseases. I am looking into different aspects of the Immune system in order to make it more efficient and in order to help it fight diseases and to make sure the Immune system would have the ability to overcome obstacles that would usually prevent it at its normal self. So for now I am mainly researching about different cells in the immune system and their functions and purposes.

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Carly Nasch: ADHD and Cognitive Deficits

Hello, my name is Carly Nasch and I am a sophomore here at Milken. I am a part of the MAST program and currently interested in researching children with ADHD. Specifically, I am studying the cognitive deficits and positively-biased self-perceptions in children with ADHD. My research focuses on uncovering potential cognitive deficits that could be the cause or a part of the cause for overestimation of competency in children with ADHD. I have discovered that children with hyperactive/impulsive type ADHD are more likely to experience overestimated self-perceptions than inattentive type ADHD. A positive illusory bias would be described as “unrealistically favorable attitudes that people have towards themselves. There are three broad kinds: inflated assessment of one's own abilities, unrealistic optimism about the future and an illusion of control.”

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Becky Silverman: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Hello, My name is Rebecca Silverman and I am a student researcher in the MAST program at Milken Community High School. I am currently interested in studying neurological diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. I am particularly interested in the disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS.  ALS is a devastating disease where the neurons in the brain die out impairing the brains ability to send messages to different muscles.  The symptoms include, muscle weakening, twitching and the inability to move important parts of the body.  ALS affects about 5 out of every 100,000 people worldwide.  However, there is no known cause or treatment and researchers are conducting many studies to try and decipher this crippling disease.  I want to look deeper into the different researches that scientists are conducting to find a treatment and understand the cause.

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Alex Mosch: Stem Cell Research

My name is Alex Mosch and I am a sophomore at Milken Community High School. I am a member of the MAST science research program and have been studying the application and production of induced pluripotent stem cells with my associate Jess Jackoway. I hope to expand my knowledge on the subject by researching further on how to produce mass amounts of pluripotent stem cells, as well as learning to successfully induce these stem cells. Interning at a stem cell lab would be a fantastic opportunity for me getting hands on experience with the IPSCs and being able to apply my knowledge from countless hours of research.  

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Leila Solouki: Schizophrenia

Hello. My name is Leila Solouki and I am a sophomore at Milken Community High School. I am a member of the Mitchell Academy of Science Technology.  I am extremely interested in researching mental illnesses in the realm of Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a disease where a patient experiences delusions and hallucinations as well as catatonia. An interesting aspect of schizophrenia that I may further study is prenatal immune response to infections that cause the disease. A mother's reaction to infections she is exposed to during pregnancy increases the risk of schizophrenia in her child. It is not the infections themselves, but rather the cytokines- signaling molecules- a mother produces when exposed to certain infections. The cytokines enter the placenta and blood brain barrier, changing the development of the fetus' brain. The idea that schizophrenia can be caused even before one is born is frightening. I am interested to further research prenatal immune response to infections, increasing the risk of schizophrenia.