Chrysta Thomas is first Oyster Bay student to attend Regeneron

Oyster Bay Middle/High School junior Chrysta  Thomas made history earlier this May when she became the first Oyster Bay student ever to attend the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, the world’s most prestigious pre-college science competition. There she competed for more than $7 million in awards and scholarships alongside 1,700 of the top young scientists from around the world.

Chrysta’s journey to ISEF began in March, when her project, “Shaped by Signals: Leveraging Breast Cancer Nuclear Morphology to Elucidate Regulatory Pathways as Therapeutic Targets,” earned first place in the highly competitive Biomedical and Health Sciences category at the New York State Science and Engineering Fair. Her research identifies a molecular mechanism underlying abnormal cell growth in breast cancer and points to biological signals that could lead to more targeted, effective treatments.

Chrysta traveled to ISEF with her science research teacher, Dan Moy, held May 9–15 at the Phoenix Convention Center. There she set up her booth, practiced with her teacher, and met with nine judges across two four-hour judging blocks.

The NYSSEF delegation also took an excursion to a ranch outside Phoenix, where students chose from horseback riding, ATV rides through the desert and skeet shooting, which Chrysta participated in. The group also tried their hand at axe throwing and archery and explored the desert landscape between preparation for judging.

Back at the convention center, students attended sessions on the future of artificial intelligence led by David Holz, who founded Midjourney and is an ISEF alumnus himself. Students also had the opportunity to network with Regeneron representatives and fellow competitors from around the world. Public Day brought Phoenix-area schools through the convention center doors to meet the finalists and Chrysta had the chance to share her breast cancer research with visitors of all ages and backgrounds.

While Chrysta did not place in the Grand Awards, she presented original research to professional scientists, engineers and mathematicians from around the world and she did it as a junior in high school, the first Oyster Bay student to ever reach this stage.

ISEF alumni have gone on to earn some of the most distinguished honors in science and engineering, including the National Medal of Science, MacArthur Foundation Fellowships and membership in the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering.

Learn more about Chrysta’s research and hear her speak about it at: isef.net/project/bmed063-pathways-regulate-nuclei-size-in-breast-cancer