DESERET NEWS - KSL STERLING SCHOLAR AWARDS 2013 STUDENT ENTRY FORM

Name Of Nominee: Mikayla Ann Leavitt School: Jordan Category: Science

American College Testing (ACT) English: 31 Math: 35 Reading: 36 Sci./Reasoning: 36 Composite: 35

Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) Reading: Mathematics: Writing:

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Supporting Attachment - Letter of Recommendation

In 20 words or less, list up to six activities, honors and awards relating to your category. 1. Observing the research in the Chemistry Department at the University of Utah. 2. Externship with an orthopedic surgeon at Salt Lake Regional Hospital. 3. AP Scholar with Distinction award. 4. 5 on the AP Chemistry and Calculus tests 5. I am a training dental assistant at a Sandy dental office. 6. Member of HOSA and National Honors Society club. Choose one of the activities, honors or awards, describe it briefly and explain why it was meaningful to you. What did you learn and what did you accomplish? I have had the amazing opportunity of observing research being done in the Chemistry Department at the University of Utah. A few students in particular are working under a professor and researching nanoparticles. Nanoparticles are pieces of matter that when arranged in a miniscule structure, can acquire new properties that larger portions of the compound would not have. The most famous use of these nanocrystals are the colors that can be created. Depending on the size, it will block a certain frequency of light and in turn, it will appear this color to the human eye because of the reflection of this color off of the substance. One student in particular I have been observing is working with quantum dots. Quantum dots have been found to be extremely useful in electronics because of the magnetic fields they can create. He is trying to replicate several kinds of procedures and types of compounds of quantum dots published by others. He hopes to find new uses and properties of the quantum dots that he creates. I have found this experience to be extremely interesting and useful. I have been able to see the procedures and technology used in a professional laboratory setting as well as learn from another who is so close to entering a career in Chemistry. It has given me insight into science outside of high school and given me a better idea of what I'm getting into as I move on with my schooling. If it has done one thing, it has made me sure that science is where I want to be and I have every intention of moving forward with a career in the sciences.

Supporting Attachment - Category Description

List up to six activities, honors and awards that relate to the leadership qualifications. 1. I am a member of the School Band and Choir. 2. At my work I am a member of a team that must run smoothly to function. 3. I am a member of the Sandy City Youth Council. 4. I have been a member of class presidencies in my LDS youth group since I was 12. 5. I helped one of my friends keep up in her classes while she was out for a long lasting illness/injury Choose one of the activities, honors or awards that relate to the leadership qualification and describe it briefly. As a part of the Sandy City Youth Council, I have learned about our government system and how each of us can take part in it. We have had activities like dinner with the mayor, local officials day, and a tour of the police department. I have learned how to be a leader in my own community and in my own personal life. Supporting Attachment - Leadership Description

List up to six activities, honors or awards that relate to the qualifications for Community Service and/or Citizenship. 1. Volunteering at Alta View Hospital at the Information Desk and in the Gift Shop 2. Volunteering with Utah Cancer Foundation 3. Volunteering with Mountain West Ballet 4. Volunteering with my LDS youth group. I have done service with them since I was 12. 5. A member of Sandy City Youth Council. We do service and learn about our community. Choose one of the activities, honors or awards that relate to the Community Service/ Citizenship qualification and describe it briefly. I have had the opportunity to volunteer with the Utah Cancer Foundation for almost 4 years now. I have gotten to volunteer at some of their fundraiser events, help with data entry, and do mass mailings. I have loved working for this cause because of the great work they do. It has given me an opportunity to work towards a cause in the medical field that I am so interested in as well as a cause that is close to my heart because my grandfather has cancer. Supporting Attachment - Community Service / Citizenship Description

Describe two or three unique things about yourself and relate them to your category. If possible, include challenges you have overcome and describe any distinctive experiences that have affected you. Ever since I was little, I have enjoyed solving puzzles and thinking analytically. Later in my schooling I fell in love with algebra and calculus because of the problem solving skills used. I feel that in science, it is critical to have that desire to solve problems and the analytic mindset to examine data and other natural phenomenon. From fourth to ninth grade I was a part of the ALPS (Accelerated Learning Program for Students) program. This program allowed me to learn material above my grade level and be surrounded by people that were like me. Especially in middle school, this special learning environment taught me new ways to think and learn. I was pushed harder than most at my age and I learned so much because of it. I feel that the skills I learned will greatly benefit me in my future professional career as well as the learning process it will take to make it there. One science teacher in this program really peaked my interest in science. My ninth grade science teacher, Mr. Grunander, really made me love biology. He taught it in a fun way that got me interested in the topic and want to learn more. Ever since his class, my love and interest in science has only continued to grow. The scientific community is traditionally seen as a man's world. Even though many women are now well known in the sciences, there is still a slight stigma about women in the sciences. In many of my science classes I was seen as lower than a male counterpart just because I was a girl. Even if I was consistently scoring higher than him, he was still often seen as better than me. I have had to overcome the stigma about women in sciences and learn that it doesn't matter what other people think, that I have a desire to be in the sciences and I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.

How do you think your involvment in this category will enrich your life? I have always been so intrigued by science. Even when I was little, I wanted to know how and why things worked the way they did. My love of science has only grown with me as I have gotten older. I believe that my love of science will allow me to make a good living for my family and keep me interested and engaged throughout my life. I also hope to become very involved in the medical field and this will definitely help me and my family in our everyday lives. I will be able to help my family and keep them safe as well as staying interested and engaged my whole life. Science is becoming an increasingly crucial part of modern advancements. Whatever I learn in the sciences, whether it is in my main interest or not, will continue to help me be more knowledgeable about the advancements and technology around me. My interest in science will help me to become a very educated and knowledgeable member of society.

Supporting Attachment - Document

Running head: CANCER DRUG TREATMENT

Research on Types of Cancer Drug Treatment Mikayla Leavitt Jordan High School

CANCER DRUG TREATMENT Abstract This paper will discuss types of contemporary research being done to treat cancer more

efficiently. One purpose of new research is discovering a way to stop the growth of cancer cells. This is being researched by many different researchers, and includes developing or discovering many types of molecules that stunt the growth of cancer cells so metastasis does not occur, making the cancer worse. Another method being pursued is the development of treatments that reduce the resistance of cancer cells to treatments that will kill the unwanted cancer cells. Professors Caroline Dive and Nicol Keith are leading researchers on this type of research in the UK. The third type of treatment to be discussed is the reduction of side effects of current (or future) cancer treatments. The research going on in this area includes using antibodies and nano polymers to deliver treatment to the specific area where the cancer cells are located.

CANCER DRUG TREATMENT Research on Types of Cancer Drug Treatment Cancer accounts for 40% of premature deaths and is one of the largest killers. (Daily Mail) Unfortunately, this major killer has no cure yet. There are methods that have been

effective in killing off the cancer cells and allowing for remission, but scientists are still working on developing a cure for the disease. Currently, scientists are working on smaller steps that are necessary to achieve the larger goal of curing cancer. Learning how to reduce the size of cancer cells will be a very crucial step in curing cancer. Cancer cannot be cured unless the carcinogenic cells are reduced in size and eventually killed. Cornell researchers have discovered a molecule that can block the carcinogenic cells from using the amino acid glutamine, which is the cell's source of vitality. The researchers have found that if you starve the cancer cell, then it will decrease in size. The enzyme 968 has been found to attach to glutamine and stop the growth of cancer cells. The presence of this enzyme makes it impossible for the cancer cells to use the glutamine. (Specchio) Research done at The National Institutes of Health and The National Academy of Sciences has shown that large doses of Vitamin C (also known as ascorbate) may help to shrink the size of tumors. Laboratory experiments done at both of these places has turned up good results. At The National Academy of Sciences, tests done on rats have shown that large doses of Vitamin C has reduced the size of brain, ovarian and pancreatic tumors by half the original size. Although this research is still very new and has been shown to have failings as well. Research done by UK Cancer Research has shown that large doses of Vitamin C may also interfere with cancer treatment instead of just reducing the size of the tumor. (BBC News) Professor Paul Workman has pursued research on developing a drug to block faulty proteins and pathways. His theory is that if these faulty pathways are blocked, then the cells will not continue to grow. Professor Workman refers to his research as targeting the "achilles heel"

CANCER DRUG TREATMENT of the cancer cell. He believes that if one finds the weak point of the cancer cell, they will be able to attack it and eventually kill it. He believes these faulty pathways in cancer cells are the way to do this and is continuously working to develop a drug that will block these pathways in order to stunt cancer growth. (Workman) Another way to inhibit growth in cancer cells is being

researched by Professor David Thurston. He is looking for a molecule that will block the signals that tell cancer cells to divide and grow. The molecule he is looking for will break the "chain reaction" that the signal sets off in the cell telling it to grow out of control. A new drug of his is currently in the clinical trial stage in the UK. (Thurston) Doctors can continuously send drugs to the cancer cells to try and kill them, but if the cells are resistant it will not matter the amount of drugs sent to the cells. Professor Caroline Dive is working with her team to produce a new drug that targets the XIAP protein. If cancer cells produce too much XIAP, they can become resistant and almost impossible to treat. The new drug they are developing will reduce the amount of XIAP in the cell, making it much easier to treat the cancer. (Dive) Professor Nicol Keith is researching drugs that will eliminate "immortal cells". These "immortal cells" occur when cancer cells turn on a gene called telomerase and start to produce a protein that rebuild telomeres. These telomeres are the buffers in the mitosis process that allows cells to divide. As cells divide, the telomeres get shorter which makes sure that cells don't divide out of control. But when cancer cells produce too much of the telomere protein, it allows them to reproduce and divide at a much faster rate making them almost "immortal" and very difficult to kill. One of the projects Professor Keith and his team is working on includes the idea of the "immortal cell". They are working on developing a drug that will reduce the activity of the telomerase gene in cancer cells, thus making cancer cells more susceptible to treatment. (Keith)

CANCER DRUG TREATMENT One of the biggest problems with current cancer treatments is the side effects. Scientists have not yet learned how to specify which cells are healthy and which ones are cancerous. As a result, many side effects occur with current treatments like chemotherapy and radiation because these treatments attack all cells, whether they are healthy or not. Professor Richard Begent is researching the use of antibodies to deliver treatment directly to the cancer cells and reduce side

effects. A new therapy named ADEPT uses this idea using antibodies to put enzymes directly on the site of the tumor. A drug known as the "prodrug" is then given to the patient. The "prodrug" is harmless until activated by the enzyme deposited on the cancer cells. This new ADEPT treatment allows for the harmful medication to only affect the cancerous site instead of causing side effects throughout the body because it is attacking healthy cells. ADEPT is also currently in the clinical trials stage with Professor Begent and his team. (Begent) W. Andy Tao, an associate professor of biochemistry analytical chemistry at Purdue University has discovered a nanopolymer that once coated with drugs and place in the cell, can be removed to analyze which proteins the drug attacked. This nanopolymer will help in the development of drugs and the testing stages. It will allow for researchers to see how the drug will affect other cells in the body and anticipate side effects to try and minimize them. (Wallheimer) Professor Caroline Dive is also working on a new drug called RH1. It is given to patients in an inactive form where it is activated by the protein DTD. DTD is often produced in higher amounts in cancer cells, so the RH1 drug will be attracted there. This new drug is hoped to limit the amount of damage to surrounding tissue and directly target the cancer cells. (Dive) While scientists may have the task of curing cancer ahead of them, they are making significant steps toward it. Many drugs are being developed that help to shrink the size of cancer cells, make them more susceptible to treatment, and reduce side effects of current and future

CANCER DRUG TREATMENT treatments. All of these scientists working together in their varying research studies will help to advance cancer treatment and hopefully reduce the amount of deaths caused by this deadly disease.

CANCER DRUG TREATMENT References

BBC News (2008, August 4). Vitamin C 'slows cancer growth' . BBC News, p. 1. Retrieved May 31, 2012, from the Web Path Express database. Begent, R. (n.d.). Prof Richard Begent : Cancer Research UK . News & Resources Homepage : Cancer Research UK . Retrieved May 31, 2012, from http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerandresearch/ourcurrentresearch/researchbygrante e/prof-richard-begent Dive, C. (n.d.). Prof Caroline Dive : Cancer Research UK . News & Resources Homepage : Cancer Research UK . Retrieved May 31, 2012, from http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerandresearch/ourcurrentresearch/researchbygrante e/prof-caroline-dive Keith, N. (n.d.). Prof Nicol Keith : Cancer Research UK . News & Resources Homepage : Cancer Research UK . Retrieved May 31, 2012, from http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerandresearch/ourcurrentresearch/researchbygrante e/prof-nicol-keith Mail. (2011, November 2). Cancer is still the biggest killer: Disease accounts for 40% of all premature adult deaths | Mail Online. Home | Mail Online. Retrieved May 31, 2012, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2056925/Cancer-biggest-killer-Diseaseaccounts-40-premature-adult-deaths.html Specchio, S. (2010, September 16). Researchers discover molecule that can starve cancer cells. Cornell Chronicle , p. 1. Retrieved May 31, 2012, from the Web Path Express database. Thurston, D. (n.d.). Professor David Thurston : Cancer Research UK . News & Resources Homepage : Cancer Research UK . Retrieved May 31, 2012, from

CANCER DRUG TREATMENT

http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerandresearch/ourcurrentresearch/researchbygrante e/prof-david-thurston Wallheimer, B. (2011, April 4). Nanoploymer has potential to reduce cancer side effects. Purdue University News Service. Retrieved May 31, 2012, from http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/research/2011/110404TaoCancer.html Workman, P. (n.d.). Prof Paul Workman : Cancer Research UK . News & Resources Homepage : Cancer Research UK . Retrieved May 31, 2012, from http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerandresearch/ourcurrentresearch/researchbygrante e/prof-paul-workman

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