Hamilton High School junior Shaina Hasan of Chandler won an honorable mention award Tuesday at the BIO International Convention in Chicago. Shaina was one of 14 finalists at the competition representing the U.S., Canada and Western Australia.
Her project, titled “EGFR and mTOR Inhibitors on Cell Proliferation in Glioblastomas,” 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. She was awarded honorable mention and $500.
The first place winner was Raina Jain, a junior from Freedom High School in Bethlehem, Penn.
The BIO International Convention is the largest global event for the biotechnology industry, drawing an estimated 14,000 to 20,000 attendees each year.
