Smithtown High School East senior Emily Anne Peterson met with Congressman Lee Zeldin, on Wednesday, during her trip to Washington, D.C., for the Regeneron Science Talent Search finals. The Congressman invited Peterson to discuss her project and what it means to be a finalist in the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science competition.
Peterson is one of 40 students Nationwide, to be named a finalist in the Regeneron Science Talent Search program. During the finals, Emily Peterson will display her work for final judging and the chance to be awarded $250,000. In addition to competing, Emily will showcase her work to the public and get the chance to meet with the country’s most notable scientists.
About Emily Peterson’s “Lecithin-Retinol Acyltransferase in Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The Relationship Between Oncology and Wound Repair.”
Peterson’s project studies a type of skin cancer called Squamous cell carcinomas and its lacking in the expression of Lecithin-Retinol Acyltransferase (LRAT), a protein involved in both wound healing and cancer. Peterson explores the role of LRAT in both wound healing and cancer progression by completing tissue culture, skin sheet formation, and analysis of the regulation of the genes involved with invasion, intercellular cohesion and coagulation. Additionally, she utilized computer coding to explore the genetic sequence homologies of LRAT to other proteins of interest. Peterson worked with Dr. Marcia Simon at Stony Brook University and submitted her research for recognition under the direction of Smithtown High School East research coordinator Maria Zeitlin.