Sachem High School Student Wins Fellowship for Research at BNL

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

William Marsiglia, a senior at Sachem High School East, came to BNL this summer through an Arthritis Foundation Summer Student Fellowship for research on inflammation, with guidance from BNL mentor Peter Thanos, Medical Department. This $2,000 fellowship was awarded competitively to only six researchers this year - with Marsiglia as the only high school student among them.

HS research student William Marsiglia (second from left) in the lab with teacher Mike Vaccariello (left), and researchers John Piyis (second from right) and Mike Michaelides (right).

Marsiglia won the award through a proposal based on an independent research project he conducted in ninth and tenth grades. He was already familiar with BNL, having participated in the Office of Educational Programs (OEP) High School Research Program (HSRP) last summer. At that time, he worked with Thanos on a meta-analysis of immunohistochemistry procedures - a technique used to localize proteins in tissue using antibodies.

This summer, Marsiglia focused on dopamine receptors and the immune system. With the help of Stony Brook University students John Piyis and Michael Michaelides, he used his grant to study how blocking a specific brain receptor is responsible for neuro-inflammation impacts and the expression of dopamine receptors.

"Doing this research through HSRP last summer opened the door for Marsiglia to work with Thanos again this summer," said Scott Bronson, an OEP educational programs administrator who manages HSRP. "The HSRP is a great opportunity for high school students to experience research early and start on a pathway to a career in science."

Mike Vaccariello, Marsiglia's research teacher at Sachem also noted the importance of these educational research programs.

"It is great that Billy has had the opportunity to get a head-start in research through this BNL program," Vaccariello said. "These programs are important because our country needs to strengthen science education."

ACTS and other programs offered by BNL's OEP visit: http://www.bnl.gov/education/programs.asp.

2008-827  |  Media & Communications Office

One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE’s Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit, applied science and technology organization.

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