Ruoyi Jiang, Ward Melville High School, East Setauket, NY

Targeting Loop Dynamics in ßI/ßIII Isotype Tubulin: The Application of In Silico Techniques in Combating Chemotherapy Drug Resistance

Ruoyi Jiang’s biophysics project investigated the molecular basis of a prominent mechanism of chemotherapy drug resistance. The project uses state-of-the-art computational techniques to develop a molecular understanding of how Taxol functions to kill tumor cells. Mr. Jiang’s results allowed him to predict the long range effects of drug binding on the structure of that protein. The technique was validated using Taxol, showing that his computational results are consistent with experimental data. These results suggest that this method may have an important contribution in the development of a new class of pharmaceuticals. Mr. Jiang worked on this project with his mentor Dr. Carlos Simmerling, Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York, as well as Dr. George J. Baldo, Director of InSTAR in East Setauket, New York.

Mr. Jiang, a senior from East Setauket, New York, has placed at a variety of science competitions including the National Science Bowl. Mr. Jiang received an Honorable Mention in the Toshiba ExploraVision Competition as well as recognition for his involvement in the Science Olympiad. He is editor of his school newspaper, Kaleidoscope, and a member of the Science Bowl Team. His favorite subject is AP Physics. He hopes to become a research lab director upon completion of his studies. In addition to his academic accomplishments, he spends his free time doing volunteer work at the Stony Brook University Hospital. He enjoys playing the violin, tennis and loves to draw in his free time. He also speaks fluent Mandarin.