Stevenson senior's research aims to help find cure for COVID-19
Since the coronavirus pandemic hit, researchers have been scrambling to combat the deadly virus that has claimed more than 2 million lives and infected more than 100 million people worldwide.
Sayalee Patankar, a 17-year-old aspiring scientist from Buffalo Grove, wants to help, and her research has earned the Stevenson High School senior a place among 300 finalists a nationwide science and math competition.
The Society for Science's Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021 is the nation's oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors.
“It's really amazing to be a part of this community,” Patankar said. “It's also validating knowing that my research is being recognized and knowing that it does have value in the scientific community.”
Patankar used machine learning models to shortlist 1,000 commercially available chemical compounds that could bind well with and inhibit a protein crucial to the replication of many RNA viruses, such as SARS and COVID-19. She narrowed that list to five chemical compounds predicted to have the best binding properties for the COVID protein structure.
“The goal was really to find a compound that can bind to the protein of many viruses and hopefully you are able to treat a large variety of viruses,” she said.
Patankar starting researching other viruses in late summer of 2019 and shifted her focus in January 2020 when COVID-19 became a pandemic.
“I used machine learning and other computational tools to suggest potential drugs for fighting COVID-19,” she said. “This was more to propose new drugs. There are many studies now that are looking at different potential drugs, repurposing drugs.”
This year's Regeneron scholars include Nicholas Pietraszek, of University of Chicago Laboratory High School, whose research involves applying machine learning to classify unmarked cancer cells from 3D images, and Alexandra Bardas, of New Trier High School in Winnetka, whose project involves identifying “novel candidate genes for anthelmintic drug susceptibility to alter neglected tropical disease treatment strategies.”
Each scholar — selected from among 1,760 entrants from 611 high schools across 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and 10 countries — will receive a $2,000 award with an additional $2,000 going to his or her school.
Scholars are chosen based on exceptional research skills, commitment to academics, innovative thinking and promise as scientists. The contest provides students a national stage to present original research and recognizes the discoveries of young scientists w ho bring a fresh perspective to significant global challenges.
“We are honored to celebrate the next generation of young scientists and inventors who can elevate the STEM community and our broader society through their high-quality research and novel discoveries,” said Hala Mirza, Regeneron senior vice president of corporate communications and citizenship. “These are the inspiring problem solvers who will help address the current and future challenges facing our world.”
Though yet unpublished, Patankar's research paper is publicly available for other scientists to review and use its results to further their work on COVID-19.
She hopes it's a steppingstone to a career in medicine and as a research scientist.
In eighth grade when the mosquito-borne Zika virus was spreading in the U.S., Patankar embarked on her first research project with guidance from mentor Dr. Pathum Weerawarna, a postdoctoral fellow at The Silverman Group lab at Northwestern University.
“That's kind of why I started getting into this whole drug discovery thing,” she said.
In ninth and 10th grade, Patankar began working on finding drug compounds to combat the Zika virus and submitted her projects to science fairs.
With COVID-19, it's also more personal. Patankar has several family members who are doctors combating the virus on the front lines.
“This virus is affecting a lot of families,” she said. “My motivation is to contribute to society. I want my research to have an impact.”