Congratulations to the 2012 winners and thank you all for participating. Happy DNA Day!
Over 6,000 essays were written for this year’s contest, and ASHG received record-breaking entries from teachers in 47 states and 15 foreign countries, including Iran, Egypt, Afghanistan, Lithuania, and Nigeria. Asking students to discuss the impacts of the discovery of the structure of DNA and the sequencing of the first human genome engaged students in thinking about big picture ideas and the applications of scientific knowledge. Many thoughtful and well-written essays were submitted. Over 350 genetics experts from the ASHG membership participated in judging the essays. We thank them for their help.
2012 Question
Genes exert their influence on organisms by being turned on and off in precise ways and at precise times. Disease can result when problems arise during this process of “gene regulation.” The first processes of gene regulation to be discovered involved molecular ‘switches’ that regulate transcription at gene promoters.
In the last 20 years, genomic research has uncovered many new types of gene regulation that earlier researchers would have never imagined. Genes can be regulated by repressors, activators, enhancers, epigenetic changes to chromatin, RNA interference, the environment, and other processes. Choose one of the gene regulation processes listed above and, using references to support your argument, explain why/how that regulatory process is critically important to ONE of the following:
- Early development
- Normal cell function
- Causation of disease or cell malfunction
2012 Winners
1st Place: Nathan Swetlitz, Grade 11
Teacher: Robert Taylor
School: Chicagoland Jewish High School
Location: Deerfield, IL
2nd Place: Kevin Zhang, Grade 12
Teacher: Maria Simon
School: Hatboro-Horsham High School
Location: Horsham, PA
3rd Place: Girish Chandrasekar, Grade 10
Teacher: Nicholas DiGiovanni
School: Naperville Central High School
Location: Naperville, IL
Honorable Mentions
| Vivienne Chen Montgomery Blair High School Silver Spring, MD Teacher: Angelique Bosse |
Lindsay Leigler Tesoro High School Orange County, CA Teacher: Megan Gray |
| Kristen Datta St. Paul Academy and Summit School St. Paul, MN Teacher: Tina Barsky |
Lucy Li St. Paul Academy and Summit School St. Paul, MN Teacher: Tina Barsky |
| Gabrielle Ewall Cold Spring Harbor High School Huntington, NY Teacher: Jaak Raudsepp |
Brian Lue The John Cooper School Woodlands, TX Teacher: Holly Barlaam |
| Emily Kragel Junius H. Rose High School Greeneville, NC Teacher: Jedediah Smith |
Tejas Sundaresan North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Durham, NC Teacher: Myra Halpin |
| Jason Lam Stuyvesant High School New York City, NY Teacher: Maria Nedwidek |
Monica Woolley Punahou School Honolulu, HI Teacher: Marguerite Ashford |
About the Contest
The contest aims to challenge students to examine, question, and reflect on important ideas and issues related to human genetics. Competitive essays are expected to convey substantive, well-reasoned, and evidence-based arguments that demonstrate deep understanding.
Essays are evaluated through three rounds of judging, and every essay is read by a minimum of three judges. Top-scoring essays have typically been scored by a dozen or more judges.
Questions/Comments: Contact dnaday@ashg.org