| Biographies |
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| Catherine - My name is Catherine Boisvert and I am a student at The Study School in Westmount, Quebec. I am involved in many school and community activities, such as sports, plays, choir, jazz band, and concert band. In grade 9, I was awarded the Heckler award at my school, which is awarded to a grade 9 student who has proven herself to be a class leader. I have also participated in numerous science competitions, such as the annual Brain Bee competition and the All Science Challenge. We got our inspiration for our project when we were in advanced biology, since we were discussing mutations and genetic disorders. The main reason why I wanted to do this project is because my mother was unfortunately diagnosed with breast cancer, and so I wanted to learn more about it and different factors that can affect cancer. For further investigations, we plan on using other chemicals found in a cigarette instead of nicotine with the same types of cells or even use a different type of cancer that is more exposed to the smoke. If other students are thinking about doing a project, i suggest to do it on something they are truly passionate about. | | Tiffany - My name is Tiffany Mach and I am 15 years old. I attend The Study school in Westmount, Quebec. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, playing percussion, volunteering at diverse establishments and events and playing sports, such as basketball and volleyball. This scientific experiment is something that we hold very dear to our hearts, since we have been personally affected by breast cancer. This disease has taken over thousands of lives, therefore we wanted to explore the different factors that could impact its progression. Even though nicotine does not have an effect on the proliferation of the epithelial breast cells or the breast cancer cells, as an extension for this project, we plan on either testing other chemicals that can be found in the cigarette, using higher concentrations of nicotine, using cells that are more susceptible to be exposed to nicotine or exposing cells to this substance over a longer period of time. Throughout this unforgettable experience, we had the opportunity to try new fields of science, such as microbiology, to acquire great knowledge and to meet experienced scientists. I would recommend that anyone who has an exceptional interest in science to take on this challenging, yet rewarding endeavor. |
| Catherine Boisvert, Tiffany Mach
Nicotine Overkill?
| Challenge: | Health | | Category: | Intermediate | | Region: | Montreal | | City: | Westmount, QC, Montreal, QC | | School: | The Study | | Abstract: | This experiment examines the effects of nicotine on the proliferation of the human mammary epithelial cells compared to the MCF-7 breast cancer cells, in order to determine if this toxic substance can stimulate the excessive growth of different types of cells. |
| Awards | Value | Excellence Award - Intermediate
Bronze Medal
Sponsor: Nuclear Waste Management Organization | $100.00 | Western University Scholarship
Bronze Medallist - $1000 Entrance Scholarship
Sponsor: Western University | $1 000.00 | | Total | $1 100.00 | |
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