2020 Alumni
![Congratulations KEYS Class of 2020](/sites/default/files/styles/az_card_image/public/2022-10/KEYS_class_2020_video.jpg?itok=v0s4tjQq)
Research Showcase Video
![KEYS 2020: Trading Pipettes for Keyboards](/sites/default/files/styles/az_card_image/public/2022-10/KEYS_class_2020_booklet.jpg?itok=tm0faim-)
Research Showcase Booklet
![Shirin Adang](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Shirin_A_0.jpg?itok=HmWjJU4J)
High School: BASIS Tucson North
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Brown
Research Project: Soft Matter Interactions with G-Protein Coupled Receptor Rhodopsin
![Zachary Anderson](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Zachary_A.jpg?itok=Z6dSWaRt)
High School:Paradise Valley High School
City: Paradise Valley
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kaveh Laksari
Research Project: Developing a Digital Atlas of the Human Brainstem Cranial Nerves: A Diffusion- Based Approach
![Zarif Ahsan](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Zarif_A.jpg?itok=P7iyEzWF)
High School: BASIS Chandler
City: Chandler
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Hutchinson
Research Project: Developing a Digital Atlas of the Human Brainstem Cranial Nerves: A Diffusion- Based Approach
![Lauren Badinger](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Lauren_B.jpg?itok=0OFfPMb-)
High School: Palo Verde Magnet High School
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. John Purdy
Research Project: The Role of Fatty Acid Elongase 5 (ELOVL5) in Human Cytomegalovirus(HCMV) Replication
![Avaneesh Bellampalli](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Avaneesh_B.jpg?itok=8lF0QdrX)
High School: BASIS Ahwatukee
City: Ahwatukee
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Zhongguo Xiong
Research Project: Identifying Preliminary SARS-CoV-2 Epitopes by Analysis of Conservation FromSARS-CoV-1
![Surajinder Bharaj](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Suraj_B.jpg?itok=kR8G45oD)
High School: BASIS Ahwatukee
City: Ahwatukee
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bonnie LaFleur
Research Project: Visualizing Trends in SARS-CoV-2 Testing Data
![Megan Bime](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Megan_B.jpg?itok=I2bf2q0d)
High School: Catalina Foothills High School
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Frank Duca
Research Project: Alterations in Small Intestinal Metabolomics Following Oligofructose Treatment in Obese Rats
![Natalia Bojorquez](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Natalia_B.jpg?itok=onsqeQE7)
High School: Nogales High School
City: Nogales
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pascale Charest
Research Project: Study of the correlation between TBL1XR1 and mTORC2 expression and activity in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
![Ivan Carrillo](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Ivan_C.jpg?itok=AgzXTeyH)
High School: Nogales High School
City: Nogales
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Hutchinson
Research Project: Segmentation and Analysis of MRI Microscopy Data in the Bonnet Macaque Brain
![Alexa Chavez](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Alexa_C.png?itok=pZmKvODh)
High School: Rio Rico High School
City: Rio Rico
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Euan McLeod
Research Project: Sensor noise comparison to improve low signal detection of fluorescing nanoparticles
![Juan Pablo Dabdoub](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Juan%20Pablo_D.jpg?itok=DyujakYV)
High School: Nogales High School
City: Nogales
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Philipp Gutruf
Research Project: Improving ESTIRA’s Graphical User Interface: Making Additions to the ESTIRA GUI using Tkinter
![Nicole Dennis-Talley](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Nicole_T.jpg?itok=iU9Jo7KL)
High School: BASIS Oro Valley
City: Oro Valley
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Vijay Gokhale
Research Project: Study of Small Molecules Targeting Superoxide Dismutase (SOD1) in Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Using Chemical Bioactivity and Protein Databases
![Hiwot Endeshaw](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Hiwot_E.jpg?itok=v9uyOVV3)
High School: Arizona College Preparatory-Erie
City: Chandler
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Teske
Research Project: The Effect of Sleep Disruption on Dietary Constituents in Cafeteria diet-fed Rats
![Elisabeth Fear](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Elizabeth_F.jpg?itok=E9r-9HQ1)
High School: Horizon Honors Charter
City: Ahwatukee
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Brown
Research Project: Effect of Hydration on Rhodopsin Activation
![Saisrinidhi Ganta](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Nidhi_G.jpg?itok=oAIFQwxz)
High School: Hamilton High School
City: Chandler
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Hutchinson
Research Project: Identification of Alzheimer's Disease-related pathology using post-mortem MRI maps
![Sean Garcia](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Sean_G.jpg?itok=EdXT1Ifj)
High School: Nogales High School
City: Nogales
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tally Largent-Milnes
Research Project: Proteomic Analysis of sex-defined genome sequencing in Migraine
![Aidan Gee](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Aidan_G.png?itok=Yww-zmDD)
High School: Catalina Foothills High School
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Daniela Zarnescu
Research Project: Characterizing the Biochemical Properties of UG-Rich RNA in a Drosophila Model of ALS
![Prasiddhi Gyawali](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Prasiddhi_G.jpg?itok=uMy_pEkT)
High School: Sonoran Science Academy -Tucson
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ramona Walls
Research Project: An R-Shiny app for trait data processing
![Rebecca Han](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Rebecca_H.jpg?itok=wUqLq23F)
High School: Catalina Foothills High School
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Dongkyun Kang
Research Project: Analyzing Full Width at Half Maximum of Light Profile Microscopy Images to Determine Resolution
![Grace Harrington](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Grace_H.jpg?itok=EJAHpaD9)
High School: Cactus Shadows High School
City: Cave Creek
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pascale Charest
Research Project: Role of PHLDA1 and FOXC2 in mTORC2 Signaling in Clinical Invasive Breast Carcinoma Patients
![Hailey Johnson](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Hailey_J.jpeg?itok=ve8CA_gf)
High School: Cienega High School
City: Vail
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bonnie LaFleur
Research Project: Gene Expression Analysis Shows Patterns Behind Immune Aging
![Eshaan Joshi](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Eshaan_J.png?itok=CpeCF8p1)
High School: BASIS Tucson North
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tyson Swetnam
Research Project: Identifying Plants and Trees from Aerial Drone Data
![Naveen Kumar](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Naveen_K.jpg?itok=AUqilAxM)
High School: North Phoenix Preparatory Academy
City: Phoenix
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Zhongguo Xiong
Research Project: Exploration of Neutralizing Antibodies Against COVID-19
![Eli Lefkowitz](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Eli_L.jpg?itok=MMx_R4pL)
High School: Catalina Foothills High School
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jared Churko
Research Project: Optimizing heart construct fabrication through quantitative signal analysis
![Sonia Mathur](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Sonia_M.jpg?itok=2RIVtmoM)
High School: University High School (UHS)
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Leif Abrell
Research Project: What’s In Your Rainwater? Inorganic and Organic Contaminants Measured in Roof- Harvested Rainwater
![Nikhil Mathur](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Nik_M.jpg?itok=SBfYY8_P)
High School: University High School (UHS)
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pascale Charest
Research Project: ZDHHC11 and its correlation with mTORC2 controlled metastasis of Non-Small CellLung Cancer
![Esha Mathur](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Esha_M.jpg?itok=eQRihKBL)
High School: University High School (UHS)
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bonnie Hurwitz
Research Project: Exploring the diversity of prophages associated with the cyanobacteria Nostoc
![Matthew Mayer](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Matthew_M.jpg?itok=CVoLE4YQ)
High School: Walden Grove High School
City: Sahuarita
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Melanie Culver
Research Project: Mesocarnivore Ecology in the Santa Rita Mountains
![Viraj Mehta](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Viraj_M.jpg?itok=S8g28REj)
High School: BASIS Scottsdale
City: Scottsdale
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yves Lussier
Research Project: Using Biocuration to Validate Novel Predicted Disease-Pathway Associations and ImproveStatistical Power for Dysregulated Pathway Analysis
![Nainika Menakuru](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Nainika_M.jpg?itok=_Pshjghs)
High School: Empire High School
City: Vail
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rebecca Vanderpool
Research Project: Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Right Ventricular Function: R Shiny App Development
![Abbigayle Mills](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Abby_M.jpg?itok=0wKuQCsJ)
High School: University High School (UHS)
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jin Zhou
Research Project: Genetic Association Analysis in the Development of Diabetes
![Margot Nicholson](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Margot_N.jpg?itok=2P1NO64T)
High School: Catalina Foothills High School
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Marty
Research Project: Automating Data Visualization Processes for UniDec
![Christina Niyigena](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Christina_N.png?itok=FYpr1Y6I)
High School: Sahuaro High School
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Marty
Research Project: Automating a User-Friendly Interface for Faster Deconvolution of large MS Data Sets
![Sreevatsa Nukala](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Sreevasta_N.jpg?itok=UHOW2ZAh)
High School: BASIS Chandler
City: Chandler
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ali Akoglu
Research Project: Overcoming the Limitations Posed by TCR-beta Repertoire Modeling through In-Silico DNA Recombination Algorithm
![Elissa Ornelas](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Elissa_O.jpg?itok=i15rnb1N)
High School: Walden Grove High School
City: Sahuarita
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Worobey
Research Project: Impact of ‘Essential Services’ Maintained in Rural Communities on COVID-19 Disease Caseloads
![Suraj Puvvadi](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Suraj_P.jpg?itok=OOCnaXfV)
High School: BASIS Scottsdale
City: Scottsdale
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yves Lussier
Research Project: Validation of Predictions From a Novel Small-Sample Statistic of Valley Fever and Dysregulated Pathways and Increasing Statistical Power of Metabolite Identifiers Through Biocuration
![Sienna Rhoda](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Sienna_R.jpg?itok=6-t-Uh0a)
High School: Palo Verde Magnet High School
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ted Trouard
Research Project: Understanding Magnetic Resonance Guided Focused Ultrasound in Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Models
![Isabel Ross](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Isabel_R.jpg?itok=9OuyEZOM)
High School: Cienega High School
City: Vail
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Meredith
Research Project: Green Infrastructure Impacts on Carbon Cycling: Evaluating Changes in Soil Microbial Composition and Function
![Kelly Rushford](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Kelly_R.jpg?itok=iYKZB3k8)
High School: Walden Grove High School
City: Sahuarita
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Meredith & Dr. Malak Tfaily
Research Project: Volatile Organic Compounds: The Missing Link to the Metabolome
![Mykaela Salvacion](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Mykaela_S.jpg?itok=kSbh9Xyw)
High School: BASIS Oro Valley
City: Oro Valley
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kirsten Limesand
Research Project: Effects of Radiation Therapy on Calcium Signaling in the Salivary Gland
![Karen Sanchez Perez](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Karen_P.png?itok=5wgDVV1p)
High School: Walden Grove High School
City: Sahuarita
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Anne Wertheimer
Research Project: Exploring the Role of Cytokines as Biomarkers through the Establishment of their Standard Concentrations in Healthy Individuals
![Kyra Singh](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Kyra_S.jpg?itok=iiRjTCwN)
High School: BASIS Tucson North
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jil Tardiff
Research Project: Using a 4-State Model to Simulate Altered Calcium Binding Properties ofHCM-Associated cTnT Mutations
![Yasmine Sleiman](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Yasmine_S.jpg?itok=SnXpDRal)
High School: Gilbert Classical Academy
City: Gilbert
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Gondy Leroy
Research Project: Large-Scale Data Analysis of Diagnostic Expression in Children with Autism SpectrumDisorder (ASD) from Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
![Jacob Song](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Jacob_S.jpg?itok=4UDIv4x8)
High School: BASIS Tucson North
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bonnie LaFleur
Research Project: Analyzing Cytokine Levels with Reproducible Statistical Methods
![Shreya Sreekantham](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Shreya_S.jpg?itok=7cqXJywR)
High School: BASIS Chandler
City: Chandler
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ted Trouard
Research Project: Evaluation of Focused Ultrasound-Enhanced Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease
![Alexis Sullivan](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Lexie_S.jpg?itok=9nXyo2kR)
High School: Veritas Preparatory Academy
City: Phoenix
Faculty Mentor: Dr. John Schaibley
Research Project: Modeling 2D Material Structures
![Douglas Swango](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Douglas_S.jpg?itok=UgcHe4BG)
High School: BASIS Tucson North
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pascale Charest
Research Project: Investigating the Role of NIPBL in the mTORC2 Signaling Pathway of Breast Cancer Cells
![Logan Taber](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Logan_T.jpg?itok=wetoWIty)
High School: Palo Verde Magnet High School
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Worobey
Research Project: Evaluating Essential Services in the Spread of COVID-19
![Ryan Walton](/sites/default/files/styles/az_small/public/2022-10/Ryan_W.jpg?itok=DL6tqoW7)
High School: Sabino High School
City: Tucson
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Barton
Research Project: Texture Analysis of Fluorescence Images for Classification and Prediction of Ovarian Cancer Risk