Addiction Science Award Winners

2019

Press Release

A 14-year-old’s innovative approach to prevent tampering and misuse of opioid pills won a first place Addiction Science Award at the 2019 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world’s largest science competition for high school students. See Press Release

First Place: Aditya Tummala

Project: Tampr-X: A Novel Technology to Combat Prescription Opioid Abuse

Aditya, recognizing the need for an improved tamper-proof opioid pill to reduce the potential for misuse, developed a gummy-like substance he calls Tampr-X that could not be crushed or melted for snorting or injecting.

Second Place: Sid Thakker

Project: The Role of ALPHA5 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism on Nicotine Dependence

Using an in vitro model, Sid manipulated and edited the gene expression of the ALPHA5 nicotinic receptor, which has been linked to nicotine addiction.

Where Are They Now?

High School: James Madison High School, Senior Year

Student organization highlights dangers of vaping

Third Place: Nikita Rohila

Project: Trends and Factors for Risky Behaviors Among Adolescents

Nikita created a survey she sent out to nearly 100 teens which revealed three significant contributing factors to risky behaviors: unhealthy amounts of smartphone and social media use, sleep deprivation, and bullying victimization.

Where Are They Now?

High School: Stuttgart High School, Junior Year

Nikita Rohila named recipient of national Rising Scientist award

Honorable Mentions

Nikhiya Shamsher QuitPuff: A Point of Care Diagnostic for Early Risk Detection of Oral Pre-Cancer and Cancer in Chronic Smokers
Tinotenda Zimhunga and Rufaro Mutogo Alcohol Sensors
Zakwan Khan, Investigating the Role of the Cat-2 Gene in Substance Dependence

2018

Press Release

A project that identified and tested a bioinformatics program that can help identify underreported suicides linked to drug overdoses was awarded the first-place distinction at the 2018 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world’s largest science competition for high school students. See Press Release

First Place: Mia Yu and Daphne Liu

Project: Undetected Suicide: Classification of Undetermined Drug-Related Deaths Using Machine Learning Techniques

Mia and Daphne compared three machine learning models to determine how well they could identify undetermined overdose deaths as actual suicides. Using data from their home state of Utah, the machine learning technique determined that drug-related suicide deaths were underreported by 34 percent.

Second Place: Rohan Arora, Venkat Krishnan, and Anil Tolwani

Project: LabTrak: A Micro-Telemetry Device for Modeling Mice Behavior

Rohan, Venkat and Anil developed a well-tested and lightweight non-invasive tool to measure mouse movements during the preclinical phase of medication development. The tool, designed to send data straight to a computer or cell phone, is sensitive enough to determine the difference between running, scratching, turning or head movements.

Third Place: Saadh Ahmed

Project: Development of a Drug-Likeness Rule for Natural Products

Saadh analyzed a database that contains drug-like natural compounds, and evaluated them for patterns and commonalities. Using qualitative and quantitative screening techniques, he developed streamlined measures for identifying multiple natural compounds that could be worthy of study for specific health conditions.

Honorable Mentions

Emily Garcia, What Influences Safe Medication Practices: Investigating the Relationship Between Parent’s Intentions, Self-Efficacy and Knowledge
Ha Khoa Le and Phuong Nam Nguyen, The Study of Concentration of Urine Neurotransmitters of Dopaminergic and Serotonergic System and the Relationship to Behavioral Disorders in Patients with Online Gaming Addiction
Ishaan Maitra, A Quantifiable Method to Detect and Monitor ADHD: The Use of Facial and Motion-Based Behavioral Cues Analysis Using Deep Neural Network and RGBD Data
Sindhuja Uppuluri, A Novel Approach to Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Using Transient Receptor Potential Channels and Insulin Signaling in C Elegans

2017

Press Release

A project applying the science of epigenetics to demonstrate the health dangers of hookah smoke won a first-place Addiction Science Award at the 2017 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world’s largest science competition for high school students. See Press Release

First Place: Anusha Zaman

Project: Epigenetic and Biotransformation Effects of Hookah Smoke Extract on Human Oral Keratinocytes

Anusha analyzed the effect of wet and dry hookah smoke extracts on epithelial cells inside the mouth. Her findings suggest that hookah smoke produces adverse health effects similar to those of cigarette smoke.

Second Place: Nkima Stephenson

Project: Data Analysis of the Epigenetics of Drugs and Alcohol

Nkima compared two data sets containing genes directly related to alcohol exposure to sets containing genes modified by environmental influences and related to alcohol exposure. She identified genetic and environmental factors that could signify a predisposition to addiction.

Third Place: Kashfia Nehrin Rahman

Project: The Dynamics of Habituation: A Neural Study of the Effects of Repeated Exposures to Risky Behaviors on Cognitive Control and Emotional Responses in the Adolescent Brain

Kashfia concluded through her research that repeated risky exposures can desensitize associated negative responses, explaining why teens take risks when they know a behavior is dangerous.

UPDATE (February 2019): Kashfia recently gave a TED Talk about her research and experience as a three-time award winner of the NIDA Addiction Science Award.

Kashfia presenting her project.

Where Are They Now?

Undergraduate School: Harvard University

Major: Neuroscience and Public Health Policy

"My experience receiving the Addiction Science Awards by Friends of NIDA truly inspired me to study the mind, the brain, and behavior. Additionally, the wonderful opportunity of presenting my research at NIH/NIDA, visiting different labs, and interacting with wonderful and brilliant scientists, I was able to determine how important it is to improve mental health, especially in the period of adolescence, to maintain a healthy society." — Kashfia Nehrin Rahman

Honorable Mentions

Anuj Gupta, Do Parents Really Know Best? Investigating the Relationship between Perceived Parental Goals and Academic Factors
Dilge Kocabas and Dilara Alev Ortel, Illegal Substance Biodetectives: Apta-Liposomes
Caleb Martonfi, And the Winner Is…Developing a Computer Program to Investigate Neural Competition with Multimodal Stimuli

2016

Press Release

A project showing how negative attitudes about stress impact key factors that influence vulnerability to addiction, including sleep, emotion and cognition, won a first place Addiction Science Award at the 2016 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world’s largest science competition for high school students. See Press Release

First Place: Kashfia Nehrin Rahman

Project: Making the Mind Matter: Stress Mindset Effects on Sleep Quality, Stress Response, Emotion and Cognition in the Developing Adolescent Brain and the Role of the Prefrontal-Amygdala Circuit

Kashfia found a direct correlation between a teen’s negative outlook on stress and a negative physical stress response that adversely impacts sleep quality, emotion and cognition.

UPDATE (February 2019): Kashfia recently gave a TED Talk about her research and experience as a three-time award winner of the NIDA Addiction Science Award.

Kashfia presenting her project.

Where Are They Now?

Undergraduate School: Harvard University

Major: Neuroscience and Public Health Policy

Second Place: Lindsay Poulos

Project: The Effects of E-Cigarette Vapor on Drosophila Melanogaster

Lindsay explored whether e-cigarettes might be a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes and found that fruit flies exposed to e-cigarette vapor showed evidence of gene mutations.

Third Place: Rachel Mashal

Project: Development of a Caffeine Addiction Paradigm to Examine How Dietary Restriction and Level of TOR Signaling Modulate the Effects of Drugs

Rachel found that dietary changes protected adult fruit flies from the negative effects of caffeine. She also found that male fruit flies are more vulnerable to some negative effects of caffeine during development and into adulthood.

2015

Press Release

A project identifying novel compounds that could be used for pain relief was awarded a first place Addiction Science Award at the 2015 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world’s largest science competition for high school students. See Press Release

First Place: Glenn Yu

Project: Naturalistic Painkillers: Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Fatty Acid Binding Protein Inhibitors

Glenn used computational modeling, chemical synthesis of analogs, and biological testing to identify and theoretically build a more effective and safer pain reliever.

Second Place: Ralph Lawton

Project: Don’t Be Led Ashtray: Toxicological Effects of Electronic Cigarettes on Inflammation and Lung Cell Viability with Comparison by Brand, Flavor and Generation

Ralph looked at the toxicological effects of e-cigarette vapor on lung cell viability and inflammation. His project suggests that tobacco vapor can be just as damaging to lung cells as traditional cigarette smoke.

Photo of project

Where Are They Now?

Undergraduate School: Duke University, Robertson Scholars Program

Major: Economics
Minor: Global Health

Job: Edgecombe County Health Office, Summer 2017

Responsible for doing public health work on opiates in rural North Carolina.

"After receiving the award in 2015, I then went to the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY to expand my work another year, which I presented again at ISEF in 2016. The award helped to reinforce in my mind my interests in medicine, medical research, and the intersection of that with public health." — Ralph Lawton

Third Place: Kashfia Nehrin Rahman

Project: Nomophobia: Effects of Smartphone Dependence and Separation on Stress, Anxiety, Memory and Cognition in the Developing Adolescent Brain

Kashfia found direct correlation between stress and the temporary loss of a cell phone, which she called “nomophobia” for “No More Mobile Phone.”

UPDATE (February 2019): Kashfia recently gave a TED Talk about her research and experience as a three-time award winner of the NIDA Addiction Science Award.

Kashfia presenting her project.

Where Are They Now?

Undergraduate School: Harvard University

Major: Neuroscience and Public Health Policy

Honorable Mentions

Lucas Lopes Cendes, Improving the Efficiency of Genome Variants Detection by the Parallelization of its Computer Process
Ajitha Mallidi, A Novel Animal Model to Replicate Alcohol-Seeking Behavior in Humans

2014

Press Release

An exploration of third-hand nicotine exposure from e-cigarettes was given the top Addiction Science Award at the 2014 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world’s largest science competition for high school students. See Press Release

First Place: Lily Wei Lee

Project: Assessment of Third Hand Exposure to Nicotine from Electronic Cigarettes

Lily examined whether e-cigarette use could pose a risk of third hand exposure, where nicotine from vapors sticks to surfaces to affect non-users even if they aren’t exposed to the e-cigarette use.

Where Are They Now?

Undergraduate School: Brooklyn College, BA/MD program

Major: Chemistry and Children & Youth Studies
Minor: Health & Nutrition Sciences/Public Health

Graduate School: SUNY Downstate Medical School, anticipated graduation 2022

"Receiving the Addiction Science Award definitely validated continuing my research endeavors. My research was published in a peer-reviewed journal, which has opened the doors to the tobacco research community. Currently, my career goals are still hazy, but I definitely want to continue my research as I pursue medicine." — Lily Wei Lee

Second Place: Aakash Jain

Project: Computational Analysis of the GABA(A) Receptor

Aakash used computational and statistical techniques to provide insight into the three-dimensional structure of the GABA(A) receptor, believed to be involved in conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, and addiction.

Third Place: Alexandra Ulmer and Sarayu Caulfield

Project: Capacity Limits of Working Memory: The Impact of Multitasking on Cognitive Control and Emotion Recognition in the Adolescent Mind

The pair explored whether experience with multitasking affected behaviors controlled by the prefrontal cortex, an area involved in self-control.

2013

Press Release

An exploration of electronic “screen time” and sleep on mood, memory and learning was given the top Addiction Science Award at the 2013 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world’s largest science competition for high school students. See Press Release

First Place: Zarin Ibnat Rahman

Project: The At-Risk Maturing Brain: Effects of Stress Paradigms on Mood, Memory and Cognition in Adolescents and the Role of the Prefrontal Cortex

Zarin hypothesized that excessive screen time with computers, phones and other electronic devices serves as a stressor ultimately affecting mood, academic performance and poor decision making.

Where Are They Now?

Undergraduate School: Harvard University

Major: Neurobiology
Minor: Psychology, Pre-medical Track

Graduate School: Hopes to go to medical school.

"My experience receiving the Addiction Science Award truly inspired me in completing research on the mind, the brain, and behavior. The opportunity of presenting my research at NIH/NIDA and interacting with the wonderful and brilliant scientists, I was able to determine that neuroscientific research is something that I absolutely love and that it is something that I would like in my future career. I plan to take one gap year prior to medical school to focus on research or other related fields." — Zarin Ibnat Rahman

Second Place: Emory Morris Payne and Zohaib Majaz Moonis

Project: The Effect of Ethanol on Beta Cell Development in Zebrafish

After exposing Zebrafish embryos to increasing concentrations of ethanol (a pure form of alcohol), the team observed the health and function of pancreatic beta cells, which are needed to produce insulin.

fluorescently labelled zebrafish

Where Are They Now?

Emory Morris Payne

Undergraduate School: Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont

Graduate School: Applying to Grad School for a PhD in chemistry

Job: Works as a Lab assistant

Zohaib Majaz Moonis

Undergraduate School: New York University

Major: Mathematics
Minor: Music and Economic Theory

Graduate School: Applying for Masters in Financial Engineering

"My award from NIDA gave my research experience more validity and allowed me to get into other schools and labs. Having the experience of presenting at the NIDA at the NIH helped give me more confident in presenting. I felt motivated to continue pursuing a research career." — Emory Payne

"I'm no longer working in biology, but people are always happy to see I have worked in an original research project." — Zohaib Majaz Moonis

Third Place: Alaina Nicole Sonksen

Project: Determining the Behavioral and Physiological Effects of Pentedrone-Based Bath Salts on Drosophila Melangaster

Alaina looked at the effects of two versions of the drugs called “bath salts” on the common fruit fly and found that substances acted more like a hallucinogen than a stimulant, with the flies appearing to be in a daze.

Honorable Mention

Gili Rusak, Properties of Twitter Network Communications Among Teenagers

2012

Press Release

A project that maps dopamine circuits in the prefrontal cortex through optogenetic manipulation was given top honors in this year’s annual Addiction Science Awards at the 2012 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world's largest science competition for high school students. See Press Release

First Place: John Edward Solder

Project: Optogenetic Interrogation of Prefrontal Cortex Dopamine D1 Receptor-Containing Neurons as a Technique to Restore Timing: A Novel Approach to Treat Prefrontal Disorders

John was able to control behavioral timing in mice that were genetically modified to activate dopamine neurons in the prefrontal cortex, a region involved in functions such as impulsivity and self-control, in response to a light stimulus.

Where Are They Now?

Undergraduate School: Yale University

Cognitive Science, Thesis: Cognition and Histamine: H1 Receptor Modulation of Prefrontal Cortex From Fungi in the Amazon to Working Memory Function in the Rat Brain

Job: Research Assistant, Yale University

"After ISEF, I went on to graduate from Yale in 2016 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Cognitive Science. My experiences through NIDA and ISEF proved invaluable as I continued performing research in neurobiology and psychopharmacology. This culminated in my thesis titled: Cognition and Histamine: H1 Receptor Modulation of Prefrontal Cortex From Fungi in the Amazon to Working Memory Function in the Rat Brain." — John Edward Solder

Second Place: Benjamin Jake Kornick

Project: OMG: Look Who Joined Facebook! The Relationship between Parenting and Adolescent Risk Behaviors

Benjamin conducted a 74-item survey of more than 130 teens to construct a novel model of the complex relationships between parental knowledge and their children’s undesirable or risky behaviors.

Third Place: L. Elisabeth Burton

Project: A Big Fat Deal, Phase III: Attributions of Body Talk, Risk Assessments of Steroid/Dietary Supplement Use, Perceptions of Media Images, and Self-Esteem

Elisabeth conducted a survey of nearly 200 teenagers to determine how their internal self image and self esteem affected eating disorders, steroid use and potentially dangerous use of dietary supplements.

Where Are They Now?

Undergraduate School: University of New Mexico

Graduate School: University of New Mexico College of Nursing

Job: Summer 2017 in Egypt working at a medical clinic for the poor

"Your award helped encourage and support me and my research! This support and encouragement pushed me to continue doing research. I am currently working with the Deputy Director of the Clinical Translation Science Center of UNM's Hospital on my research. He is working with me to get it published as 1st author. I know as a Nurse Practitioner and when I'm all over the world, I will be doing research as well." — L. Elisabeth Burton

2011

Press Release

A project using cutting edge computer modeling to identify potential new medications for nicotine addiction won first place distinction at the annual Addiction Science Awards at this year's Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) --- the world's largest science competition for high school students. See Press Release

First Place: Sarah Susie Pak

Project: Would You Do It for the Kids? Factors Involved in the Prediction of Intergenerational Preferences

Sarah’s project identified generosity and patience as two key interacting factors that increase the likelihood that a person will make altruistic decisions that will primarily help future generations.

Second Place: Darby Kathryn Schumacher

Project: Making Heartbeats Go LOKO

Darby investigated the effects of the alcoholic caffeinated beverage on the heart rate of the water flea. Her findings support the notion that caffeine in alcoholic energy drinks could mask some of alcohol's behavioral effects.

Third Place: Yamini T. Naidu

Project: From Models to Medications: Identification of Medication Leads for Treating Methamphetamine Addiction

Using molecular modeling software that incorporated eye-catching 3D structural illustrations and vivid computer animations, Naidu discovered two potential sites in the methamphetamine binding TAA receptor.

Where Are They Now?

Undergraduate School: Yale University, 2017

Ethics, Politics, and Economics

Job: Oregon Health and Science University

2010

Press Release

First Place: Ameya Ashish Deshmukh

Project: Rational Drug Design Methods for the Identification of a Novel Negative Allosteric Modulator of a4b2 Nicotinic Receptors

Ameya used “rational drug design” to select candidate molecules based on previous research, narrow the list using molecular models, and finally, test these on human cells to identify which compounds show promise for treating nicotine addiction.

Second Place: Kevin Michael Knight

Project: Improving ADHD Treatment: A Comparison of Stimulant Medication Treatment for Children with ADHD, Computerized Cognitive Training of Attention and Working Memory, and the Combination of the Two

Kevin examined whether it is possible to use specialized computer programs to re-train the brains of students with ADHD, either as an alternative or as a complement to the stimulant medications typically prescribed to treat ADHD.

Third Place: Joseph Hunter Yagoda

Project: Risky Business: What Cognitive Factors Influence Risk-Taking in the Academic Setting?

Using an innovative simulation mimicking a prototypical classroom, Joseph measured his subjects' perceptions of the risks of skipping class.

Where Are They Now?

Undergraduate School: Yale University

Ethics, Politics, and Economics

Job: Senior Business Analyst, global management consulting firm

2009

Press Release

A resourceful study into the effect of third-hand smoke upon the risk for genetic mutations in fruit flies won the top Addiction Science Award at this year's Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world's largest science competition for high school students. See Press Release

First Place: Sehar Anjum Salman and Jada Nicole Dalley

Project: A Cytogenic Analysis of Genetic Mutation Induced by Cigarette Smoke in Drosophila Melanogaster

Sehar and Jada measured the frequency of observable genetic mutations among Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) that were exposed as larvae to a piece of foam previously saturated with tobacco smoke.

Where Are They Now?

Sehar Anjum Salman

Undergraduate School: University of Southern California

Major: Health and Humanity

Gradudate School: Mississippi College

MS, Medical Science.

Medical School: Texas A&M School of Medicine

Jada Nicole Dalley

Undergraduate School: Elon University in North Carolina.

Major: International Business, International Studies, and Marketing
Minors: Religion, Sales, Economics, and Asian Studies

Job: Staff at a tour company for middle school and high school students who wish to travel abroad.

Second Place: Daniel Jeffrey Martin

Project: The Effect of Human Methamphetamine Usage on Carnivore Scavenging

Daniel made a retrospective analysis of data from a local medical examiner's office to demonstrate that carnivorous animals do not like to scavenge the remains of humans known to have abused methamphetamine.

Where Are They Now?

Undergraduate School: Pomona College

B.A., Late-Antique Medieval Studies

Gradudate School: University of California, Berkeley, School of Law

J.D. 2017.

Third Place: Lucia Mocz

Project: Complex Evaluation of Danger and Tranquility in Urban Settings: An Immunocomputing Intelligence Approach

Lucia used an artificial intelligence algorithm to generate highly detailed maps with correlated indicators of danger and tranquility in the urban region of her home town.

2008

Press Release

This year, for the first time, three students will receive awards for exemplary projects in Addiction Science at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world's largest science competition for high school students. See Press Release

First Place: Kapil Vishveshwar Ramachandran

Project: The Novel Role of the GluClα; Ion Channel and Diazepam Binding Genes in Alcohol Addiction

Kapil determined that when a specific protein is deleted in fruit flies, the flies may lose their tolerance to alcohol, offering a strong indication that the protein may play a role in addiction.

Where Are They Now?

2019: After completing his PhD, Kapil now runs his own neurobiology lab at Harvard as an independent Harvard Junior Fellow.

Graduate School: Ph.D., Johns Hopkins

Biological Chemistry and Neuroscience

Undergraduate School: Duke University

Studied the intersection of ion channels and developmental biology.

Second Place: Ethan Garrett Guinn

Project: Video Games: The Next Generation's Addiction

Ethan developed a survey about gaming behavior similar to those used to assess whether drug users are addicted, and found that 69 % of boys and 44 % of girls showed borderline-to-severe signs of video game addiction.

Where Are They Now?

Undergraduate School: University of Oklahoma

Major: Management of Information Systems

Graduate School: Oklahoma State University

M.S., Data Science and Analytics

Third Place: Shelby Marie Raye

Project: What's In and What's Out: High Schoolers' Perceptions of Coolness

Shelby identified unique parameters that affect life trajectories, and may help scientists better understand peer pressure, a common force in initiation of substance abuse.