OOA Presents Osteopathic Medical Awards at State Science Day

The OOA awarded the Osteopathic Medical Award to six junior high and high school students at State Science Day, May 10, 2008.

This year's event, sponsored by the Ohio Academy of Science, drew 1,100 students who competed for scholarships and awards valued at nearly $1.9 million. Forty-five students competed in two grade categories (7th-9th; 10th-12th) for the Osteopathic Medical awards, which totaled $650 in value.

The event was held at The Ohio State University in Columbus.

Eleven OOA volunteers judged the projects, which encompassed medical, health, and behavioral research. Many thanks to the following judges: Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine students Alex Tsai, OMS III; Chad Keller, OMS I; Kyra Dawson, OMS I; and Christina Chan, OMS I; and Columbus-area teachers J. David Eberst; Karen Schwanekamp; Ralph Nicolosi, PhD; Helen Ortlieb; Kerrie Ritchey; Patti Creighton; and Craig Lobdell.

Eberst and Schwanekamp have served as volunteer judges for at least a dozen years. This was the fourth year of judging for Nicolosi, the third for Lobdell, and the second for Tsai, Ortlieb, and Ritchey.

The 2008 Osteopathic Medical Award winners are:

7th-9th GRADE CATEGORY
First Place ($150)
Michael P. Madden, Loveland
8th grade, St. Columban
Oregano Oil: the Bacterial Neutralizer

Second Place ($100)
Vibhuti Krishna, Solon
8th grade, Solon Middle School
"Eye" Am Aware: A Study on Microorganisms in Eyewash Stations

Third Place ($75)
Shane Conway, Canfield
8th grade, Youngstown St. Christine School
Accelerating Pain Reliever Dissolution

10th-12th GRADE CATEGORY
First Place ($150)
Rebekah L. Ivie, Trotwood
junior, Trotwood-Madison High School
The Effect of Polyphenols on Neurodegeneration

Second Place ($100)
Jennifer A. Smith, Beavercreek
sophomore, Carroll High School, Dayton
Running Gait

Third Place ($75)
Maya Ratnam, Toledo
senior, Sylvania Southview High School
The Direct Action of Rapamycin on Skin Fibroblasts is Profibrotic through Activation of TGF-beat/Smad3 Signaling