Caroline Riedstra explains her research: Melanoma is one of three most likely forms of cancer to spread to and grow within the brain. Therefore, it is important for us to understand how melanoma cancer cells get to the brain in the first place. Much like famous fictional character Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, melanoma cells flip between two distinct personas known as gene states, and in reality, neither of these are really good, but one we are more effective at treating. My research studies this switch and what genes are causing the melanoma cells to flip between Jekyll and Hyde. This would aid the development of drugs and therapy that allow us to target the entire population of melanoma cells in the brain, thereby improving the treatment of melanoma brain metastases and decreasing the lethality of this diagnosis. [more]
Also performing strong in the final competition were 3 more students in MIC labs Alexys Riddick, Rossymar Rivera Colón, and Yuang Sun. Congratulations!!!