Browse real student projects, abstracts, and awards.
ISEF · 2026
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. This study explored the potential of Pristimer…
ISEF · 2026
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Azole antifungals have served as frontline therapies for Candida infections. However, increasing azole-resistant Candida species presents a real clinical challenge requiring alternative anti…
ISEF · 2026
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Epilepsy affects over 50 million people, and one in three cannot stop their seizures with medication. Neuromodulatory therapies are the leading alternative, but development has been bottlene…
ISEF · 2026
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Modern nucleic acid sequencing enables rapid and cost-effective genomic analysis, but for low-input samples, amplification via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) remains a critical bottleneck.…
ISEF · 2026
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States, with metastasis responsible for the majority of CRC deaths. Emerging research suggests that micro…
ISEF · 2026
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecological cancer, with a five year survival rate that still barely exceeds 50%. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a stromal cell population in the tumor m…
ISEF · 2026
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Translation initiation is a major control point in bacterial gene expression, yet how initiation factors affect population level growth remains poorly quantified, specifically under environm…
ISEF · 2026
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2) is a regulatory peptide involved in neuroplasticity, memory consolidation, and neuroprotection in the CNS. Despite the well-documented association betwee…
ISEF · 2026
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Isoflurane is an FDA-approved volatile anesthetic used to induce and maintain general anesthesia. Isoflurane hyperpolarizes membrane potential by selectively enhancing K+ channels and inhibi…
ISEF · 2026
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Drug combination therapy is a cornerstone of modern oncology, but identifying effective combinations for a patient's specific tumor remains difficult as possible combinations grow rapidly wi…
ISEF · 2026
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive and treatment-resistant brain tumor with a five-year survival rate of 6.9%, necessitating exploration of novel therapeutic strategies. Transient receptor…
ISEF · 2026
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading global cause of mortality, with myocardial infarction resulting in permanent myocardial loss due to the limited regenerative capacity of adult card…
ISEF · 2026
Cellular and Molecular Biology
MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small noncoding RNA genes, play crucial roles in regulating gene expression in human development and cancer. The let-7 miRNA is involved in various cellular processes, in…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Cortical interneurons (INs) are a diverse group of INs crucial for regulating excitatory pyramidal neuron (EPN) activity– with dysfunction in certain IN types linked to neurological disorder…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, are characterized by impairment of synaptic plasticity, the brain's capacity to rewire connections critical for cognition…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) stands second in cancer-related mortality among men. As current treatment options are largely palliative, there is a dire need for novel therapeutic targets…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Translation initiation in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) is governed by a delicate balance among canonical, cap-dependent and alternative pathways. This study dissects the roles of eIF4G…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Uveal melanoma, cancer of the melanin-producing cells in the eye, is the most common type of intraocular cancer in adults. Approximately half the patients develop metastatic disease, which h…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most aggressive and prevalent malignant primary brain tumors, accounting for 50.1% of all gliomas and 16% of all primary brain tumors. In the Unit…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) affect over 300 million people globally. In previous research, we identified ASXL3 as a biomarker for NDDs, but our understanding of how the clinical seve…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
This project aimed to focus on identifying VEGF-B’s specific roles in cell survival and apoptosis, as well as its role in-vivo in cardiomyocyte regeneration within the zebrafish heart. The f…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a debilitating autoimmune disease of the neuromuscular junction that affects over a million people and can cause life-threatening muscle weakness. As current treatm…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Helicases are enzymes that unwind double-stranded DNA during replication and repair. Human DNA helicase B (HELB) is critical for proper genome maintenance and recovery from replication stres…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Neurons use neurotransmitter carrying synaptic vesicles to transmit information at specialized locations called presynapses. Synaptic vesicle release of neurotransmitter becomes less efficie…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. In 2021 almost 10 million people died of cancer. Numerous conditions and factors can be attributed to the formation of cancer. A critic…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Base editors hold great promise in the treatment of genetic diseases as nearly half of known pathogenic genetic variants are point mutations. However, despite recent progress, the base edito…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) is a rare bone disorder caused by a mutation in the ACVR1 receptor, whose downstream signaling leads to excessive bone growth. The defining charac…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) is a staple supplement in cell culture, providing key growth factors that promote cell health and proliferation. Cell culture has been a cornerstone of biological sc…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Alcohol consumption leads to complications in brain blood vessels and biological function, but how alcohol damages such vessels is unclear. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling, regulated b…
ISEF · 2025
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Although CAR T-cell therapy has significantly improved treatment outcomes for hematologic B-cell malignancies, challenges such as relapse and mortality rates (35-50% within 6-12 months post-…