Each year, high school students are invited to conduct research as interns under the close guidance of Institute faculty. High schooler Stuti Garg conducted research in the laboratory of Amanda McCullough and Stephen Lloyd, and presented her work at the 2016 Northwest Science Expo. And the result – Stuti’s work was selected for a finalist position at the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF)! Here is what Stuti says about her experience:

This past year, I had the incredible opportunity to work in the Lloyd & McCullough lab at OHSU. Conducting research in the lab was unlike any other experience I have had. Under their mentorship, I was able to develop an exciting project, investigating DNA repair enzymes in E. coli cells. I presented my project to judges at the Northwest Science Expo (NWSE), held at Portland State University, competing against the top projects throughout the state. The fair was filled with novel innovations, from lung cancer detection algorithms, to high-tech microwaves. Being in the presence of such incredible discoveries was definitely a humbling experience. I received a finalist position for ISEF, which was given to the top 6 projects at the state fair. The comments from the judges were very supportive, and encouraged me to pursue my passion for the medical sciences. It is an honor to be able to compete in the international competition, and I would like to thank my mentors for supporting me throughout the process. I cannot wait to present my findings to the judges in Phoenix!

Congratulations to Stuti and to the Lloyd and McCullough laboratory!