Seniors Hilarie Sit and Farwa Feroze have dedicated the past three years working on a Unified Research Project (sponsored by Rutgers New Brunswick University in New Jersey).  Their work became published on the National Center for Biotechnology Information website.

“The project was a lot of work. Basically we were analyzing duckweed DNA sequences through seven different labs,” Feroze said. “We had to learn how to use the lab equipment properly, breed and clone the Duckweed DNA, isolate, determine the DNA, and prepare it for analysis (separating the DNA into different parts).”

Once the DNA sequences were analyzed, they were sent over to Rutgers University to be verified by a professor. Once verified, the student’s work becomes published on the National Center for Biotechnology Information website for the scientific community to see; which can be viewed under the following links.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nucest/548922878

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nucest/548922880

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nucest/548922876

“I remember we submitted our DNA sequences in the summer before junior year,” senior Sit said. “However, they were just published in the beginning of my senior year. The wait was worth it though, the work paid off. It is amazing to think that we are published scientists.”

The students study the DNA sequence of duckweed, a plant that grows on the surface of still water.

“Duckweed is a beneficial bioremediation (an organism that removes pollutants) source because it can grow in contaminated water and removes heavy metals while adding oxygen, which ultimately purifies the water it grows in,”  Biology Teacher Erin McKay said.

Approximately 30 students are voluntary working on the genetic research project in McKay’s classroom. This group is composed of returning students, such as Feroze and Sit, and new students such as Wamil Juthani.

“It is really cool that some kids working on the Genetic Research Project are returning from last year,” senior Juthani said, “Since it is my first year some things can become quite confusing, so when some of the returning kids such as Sit or Feroze explain things to us, it makes everything a little bit easier.”