Hamilton High School junior Shaina Hasan of Chandler will compete Tuesday in the final round of the BIO International Convention in Chicago. Shaina was one of two finalists who won the southwest regional competition in May.
Her project, titled “Glioma Mutations and Differential Sensitivity to Erlotinib,” looked at the effect certain chemicals have on primary brain tumors. Glioblastomas - a form of a brain tumor - come in multiple forms and are therefore difficult to treat.
Hasan applied different chemicals to cells to see how the growth of the glioblastoma cells would be affected.
The BIO International Convention is the largest global event for the biotechnology industry, drawing an estimated 14,000 to 20,000 attendees each year. Judges will select the top winners from more than a dozen finalists representing several U.S. regions, Western Australia and Canada.
