WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, the Biotechnology Institute announced the 15 student winners who will advance to the final stages of the 2017 BioGENEius Challenge next week at the 2017 Biotechnology Industry Organization Annual Convention (BIO 2017) in San Diego.
The BioGENEius Challenge is the premier competition for high school students from across the globe that recognizes outstanding research and innovation in biotechnology. Finalists come from across the nation, having won State science competitions or through the Institute’s At-Large Competition to vie for recognition in any of three Global Challenge categories: Healthcare, Sustainability (AgBIo) and Industrial/Environmental Biotechnology.
Johnson & Johnson Innovation is the signature sponsor for the Global Healthcare challenge as part of its longstanding mission to support STEM education.
“The high school students competing in the BioGENEius Challenge are among the world’s elite young thinkers. Their research projects represent some of the freshest thinking about how to use biotechnology to solve the world’s most challenging problems,” said Seema Kumar, VP Innovation, Global Health and Policy Communications at Johnson & Johnson. “We are proud to sponsor a program that helps these students achieve – and surpass -- their goals, and we are especially pleased to be the exclusive sponsor of the new BioGENEius Global Healthcare Track. These students are the future of applied scientific innovation that brings more years of life and quality of life to people around the world.”
On June 19, all finalists will participate in the final round of judging for the International BioGENEius Challenge including elite high school students from Canada. During the competition, students will present their highly advanced research projects that address a variety of real world challenges. Many BioGENEius finalists go on to distinguishing academic and industry careers to realize their innovative capabilities.
This year’s BioGENEius finalists include:
- Mythri Ambatipudi, Saint Francis High School, Mountain View, CA
- Tejas Athni, Stratford Academy, Macon, GA
- Rebecca Brody, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Baltimore, MD
- Pranav Chhaliyil, Maharishi School, Fairfield, IA
- Katherine Dai, Academy for Medical Science Technology, Hackensack, NJ
- Sanjiv Harikumar, Las Cruces High School, Las Cruces, NM
- Sophia Luo, The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, NC
- Tasnia Nabil, Vincent Massey Secondary School, Windsor, On
- Vikram Pandian, Parkland High School, Allentown, PA
- Sohan Shah, The Charter School of Wilmington, Wilmington, DE
- Erin Smith, Shawnee Mission West High School, Overland Park, KS
- Hari Sowrirajan, Cherry Creek High School, Englewood, CO
- Marissa Sumathipala, Broad Run High School, Ashburn, VA
- Lillian Tushman, Oak Park and River Forest High School, Oak Park, IL
- Brian Xia, Canyon Crest Academy, San Diego, CA
“The extraordinary research we see during the BioGENEius Challenge underscores the importance of investing and encouraging our younger generations to pursue their ideas,” said Dr. Lawrence Mahan, President of the Biotechnology Institute. “By introducing three distinct tracks, we will ensure the continued growth of education and career development opportunities in biotechnology, as well as the sustained impact of the industry as a whole.
The winners of the International BioGENEius Challenge will be announced during the Tuesday Keynote Address at the 2017 BIO International Convention. Each winner will receive a $7,500 cash prize.
The BioGENEius Challenge is organized by the Biotechnology Institute, a U.S. based organization dedicated to biotechnology education. Generous support from sponsors include the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, Global Healthcare Challenge sponsor Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Genentech, Pfizer and Celgene.
About the Biotechnology Institute
The Biotechnology Institute is an independent, national nonprofit organization dedicated to education about the present and future impact of biotechnology. Its mission is to engage, excite and educate the public, particularly students and teachers, about biotechnology and its immense potential for solving human health, food and environmental problems. For more information, visit www.biotechinstitute.org.
