A historic first: Oyster Bay's Chrysta Thomas shares her breast cancer research on the world’s stage
When Oyster Bay Middle/High School junior Chrysta Thomas boarded a plane to Phoenix this month, she wasn't just heading to a science fair. She was making school history.
Chrysta became the first Oyster Bay student ever to attend the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world's most prestigious pre-college science competition, where 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 (NYSSEF). 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. Her work clearly drew the attention of professional scientists well beyond the halls of Oyster Bay, as she returned from NYSSEF with the top prize.
Chrysta traveled to ISEF with her science research teacher, Mr. Dan Moy, who was on hand for every moment of the week-long fair, held May 9–15 at the Phoenix Convention Center. Between booth setup, practice sessions and nine judges across two four-hour judging blocks, the experience was intense, but unforgettable.
The week wasn't all science and competition, though. The NYSSEF delegation took an excursion to a ranch outside Phoenix, where students chose from horseback riding, ATV rides through the desert and skeet shooting. Chrysta, it turns out, was a natural when it came to skeet shooting! The group also tried their hand at axe throwing and archery and explored the desert landscape between rigorous 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, the significance of what she accomplished cannot be overstated. 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. Chrysta is already among them in spirit.
We can't wait to see what she does next.
Learn more about Chrysta's research and hear her speak about it – Click here to view the link.
