Comment
Rate
Student's passion pays off
|
||
| Advertisement |
By Kris Hilgedick
khil@newstribune.com
Usually 17-year-old guys don't like spinach. But Evan Mirts does.
In January, the Jefferson City High School senior was named one of 40 semi-finalists in the Intel National Science Talent Search competition. The contest, known as the “junior Nobel Prize,” is considered America's most prestigious high school science competition.
Mirts' entry is related to his research using SICM (scanning ion conductance microscopy) to study changes in chloroplasts - from spinach leaves - during the light and dark phases of photosynthesis.
He's already won a $5,000 scholarship and a new laptop. But as one of 40 finalists, Mirts will head to Washington D.C. in March to try for first place and a $100,000 scholarship.
With a mop of dark hair and a slender frame, Mirts is a well-rounded student who plays the violin and performs with the school's theatre troupe.
But science is his passion.
His initial research started with a question about alternative fuels. He wanted to know if it is possible to convert the tiny electric impulses, seen at the organic cellular level, into electricity.
“What can I do to contribute to this research?” he asked.
The project he finally presented to the science talent search “ended in a different place,” he said. (He's hopeful it might be useful for medical research.)
“But it has applications that are more useful than my original idea,” he added.
To do his research, Mirts took advantage of a rare microscope available on the University of Missouri-Columbia campus - one of only a few in the world.
“It makes lovely three-dimensional images,” explained Mirts. “The first looked like a coral reef.” (In his white paper, the chloroplasts resemble cloud formations.)
Mirts did his research - and received permission to use the microscope - under the aegis of Dr. Kevin Gillis, Ph.D., at the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center.
Gillis noted Mirts is a highly motivated student.
“He approached me pretty much on his own,” said Gillis. “He came in with some interesting ideas and worked very independently.”
Originally built by graduate student Won Chul Shin, the microscope allows researchers to examine isolated living cells structures - like chloroplasts - without killing them.
Mirts explained: “To take a picture with an electron microscope, you have to coat them with a metallic ion.”
Not very helpful when you want to see a living thing.
With the SICM, scientists can watch and record a cell structure change shape and expand. More importantly, they can watch the same sample every time. A chloroplast's whole structure might grow or shrink 300 to 500 percent, depending on the circumstances, Mirts noted.
“It's unique in its ability to scan the same sample over time, over and over again, to see how it behaves,” he said.
For researchers - who might want to examine a bacteria, virus or other tiny cell structure - SICM reduces the variability inherent in their work.
For his project, Mirts learned how to “patch clamp” a chloroplast without destroying it. Essentially, he learned how to maneuver a needle-like instrument very close, without piercing it or squashing it.
Chul Shin, for instance, built the microscope to watch a cell engulf or destroy particulate matter (phagocytosis). Although scientists believed it could be used to study structures even smaller than cells, researchers hadn't tried it.
“I was the first one who has done it on anything,” said Mirts.
Mirts had been exploring the idea for about two years when his mom noticed the Intel contest.
“I had two weeks to get it (his project) all together,” he lamented.
About 1,700 high school seniors enter the talent search, but 40 of best scientific finalists advance to Washington D.C. to compete for $1.25 million in scholarships.
In January, the Jefferson City High School senior was named one of 40 semi-finalists in the Intel National Science Talent Search competition. The contest, known as the “junior Nobel Prize,” is considered America's most prestigious high school science competition.
Mirts' entry is related to his research using SICM (scanning ion conductance microscopy) to study changes in chloroplasts - from spinach leaves - during the light and dark phases of photosynthesis.
He's already won a $5,000 scholarship and a new laptop. But as one of 40 finalists, Mirts will head to Washington D.C. in March to try for first place and a $100,000 scholarship.
With a mop of dark hair and a slender frame, Mirts is a well-rounded student who plays the violin and performs with the school's theatre troupe.
But science is his passion.
His initial research started with a question about alternative fuels. He wanted to know if it is possible to convert the tiny electric impulses, seen at the organic cellular level, into electricity.
“What can I do to contribute to this research?” he asked.
The project he finally presented to the science talent search “ended in a different place,” he said. (He's hopeful it might be useful for medical research.)
“But it has applications that are more useful than my original idea,” he added.
To do his research, Mirts took advantage of a rare microscope available on the University of Missouri-Columbia campus - one of only a few in the world.
“It makes lovely three-dimensional images,” explained Mirts. “The first looked like a coral reef.” (In his white paper, the chloroplasts resemble cloud formations.)
Mirts did his research - and received permission to use the microscope - under the aegis of Dr. Kevin Gillis, Ph.D., at the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center.
Gillis noted Mirts is a highly motivated student.
“He approached me pretty much on his own,” said Gillis. “He came in with some interesting ideas and worked very independently.”
Originally built by graduate student Won Chul Shin, the microscope allows researchers to examine isolated living cells structures - like chloroplasts - without killing them.
Mirts explained: “To take a picture with an electron microscope, you have to coat them with a metallic ion.”
Not very helpful when you want to see a living thing.
With the SICM, scientists can watch and record a cell structure change shape and expand. More importantly, they can watch the same sample every time. A chloroplast's whole structure might grow or shrink 300 to 500 percent, depending on the circumstances, Mirts noted.
“It's unique in its ability to scan the same sample over time, over and over again, to see how it behaves,” he said.
For researchers - who might want to examine a bacteria, virus or other tiny cell structure - SICM reduces the variability inherent in their work.
For his project, Mirts learned how to “patch clamp” a chloroplast without destroying it. Essentially, he learned how to maneuver a needle-like instrument very close, without piercing it or squashing it.
Chul Shin, for instance, built the microscope to watch a cell engulf or destroy particulate matter (phagocytosis). Although scientists believed it could be used to study structures even smaller than cells, researchers hadn't tried it.
“I was the first one who has done it on anything,” said Mirts.
Mirts had been exploring the idea for about two years when his mom noticed the Intel contest.
“I had two weeks to get it (his project) all together,” he lamented.
About 1,700 high school seniors enter the talent search, but 40 of best scientific finalists advance to Washington D.C. to compete for $1.25 million in scholarships.
 |
||
| Hot issue: Lease or buy fire trucks? |
Article Rating |
|
Before commenting read the News Tribune Forum's policies and procedures.
Thanks.
RSS
Trixie71 wrote on Feb 21, 2008 9:44 AM: