Wheatley And Jericho HS Students Named Regeneron Finalists

HICKSVILLE, NY — Local students Yifang “Lucy” Zha of The Wheatley School and Justin Shen of Jericho Senior High School are in the top 40 finalists in the 2021 Regeneron Science Talent Search, according to a news release.

Zha studied the combined potential of the plant-based chemicals curcumin and capsaicin on the cells of neuroblastoma, which is the most common childhood cancer, as well as their effects on hypothalamic cells, the news release stated. She found that while the two chemicals inhibited tumor growth, hypothalamic toxicity must be further explored, according to the release.

In her spare time, Zha prefers to venture into the woods to snap photos of unusual rocks, the news release stated. “While pictures capture the momentary beauty of the landscape, rocks reveal a place’s history, millions of years in the making. I’ll confess that my favorite rock is Gneiss. Unlike its counterparts like Obsidian, Gneiss is willing to bend, morph, but not succumb to the excruciating stress underground. As a first-generation immigrant, I resonate with Gneiss’ spirit of resilience,” Zha stated.

Shen’s research showed that L-Theanine, an amino acid found in green tea, reduced the toxicity of trichloroethylene, a common industrial pollutant that can be found in drinking water and a potential cause of Parkinson’s Disease, the news release stated. Shen is also an accomplished cellist who has performed at numerous concert halls, including Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in Manhattan, and is a nationally-ranked tennis player who has played at the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center at Flushing Meadow-Corona Park in Flushing, according to the news release.

Regeneron Co-founder Dr. George D. Yancopoulos, who serves as president and chief scientific officer and was among the top winners of the 1976 Science Talent Search, said the finalists represent many of the United States’ “most promising young scientists who, even during a global pandemic, are using their ingenuity, resourcefulness and [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math] skills to work toward a better future.” “I can only hope that their STS experience further inspires them to take on and help solve the biggest challenges facing mankind – from climate change to disease and future pandemics,” he stated in a news release.

Zha and Shen will take part in a virtual version of the Regeneron competition where they will undergo a rigorous judging process to compete for more than $1.8 million in awards. As part of the competition, each finalist, who were selected from 1,760 entrants, will receive $25,000. The top 10 awards, which will be announced during a live-streamed virtual awards ceremony on March 17, range from $40,000 to $250,000.