Jupiter Brown Set to Compete at LI Science Congress

Jupiter Brown is among a select group of students who will compete in the Senior Long Island Science Congress this month at the Cradle of Aviation in Garden City. The Huntington High School senior has been working closely with teacher Lori Kenny in the science research program.

“In my advanced science research class, I have been studying the effects of turmeric oil on C. elegans with inactive PKC-3,” Ms. Brown said. “This study dives into how turmeric oil, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, can substitute PKC-3, which helps regulate signaling and polarity. I chose this topic because I am extremely interested in genetics and the effectiveness of natural remedies.”

A strong student academically, Ms. Brown is involved in a variety of school activities, including playing on the Blue Devil varsity bowling team. She feels right at home in a science lab.

“PKC is a protein found in humans which is very similar to the protein researched in this project, so I hope to in the future research this protein as well,” Ms. Brown said. “C. elegans are small, clear, roundworms typically used in research because of their thoroughly studied genetic makeup as well as similarities with humans. In C. elegans, PKC-3 is necessary for maintaining balance in cells, so they could face developmental problems if not present. Turmeric oil, which contains the compound curcumin, has the ability to alleviate oxidative stress acting as an antioxidant.”

Mrs. Kenny has a high opinion of her student. “Jupiter exemplifies the inquisitive research student who can always be found hard at work following her passions,” the teacher said.

The LI Science Congress provides a forum for an exhibit of adjudicated science projects by Nassau and Suffolk middle school, junior high school and senior high school students. Sponsored by the LI section of the Science Teachers Association of New York State, the LI Science Congress was founded in 1950 under the umbrella of the NYS Science Teachers Association and The Nassau Daily Review-Star newspaper.

Ms. Brown’s project was both extensive and elaborate. “In three trials each, I tested five different amounts of 0.2715M turmeric oil on four C. elegans per petri dish containing OP50 as food for the worms,” she said. “The data showed that the medium amounts of the turmeric solution was most effective. On the other hand the high amount and low amount killed them off quickly. This shows that the turmeric oil was effective in replacing the PKC-3 protein but could be toxic if over exposed. This means that a natural remedy, such as turmeric oil, can be effective in replacing the actions that a protein typically carries out.”

Was the research experience worthwhile? “Overall, I have learned a lot about natural remedies’ effects on mutated cells and their effectiveness in compensating for the loss,” Ms. Brown said. “I hope to further this research in college at Tulane University while majoring in cell and molecular biology. I am very grateful for all of my research teachers for their helpfulness and guidance along this process.”