Oyster Bay High School sophomore Ella Kopacz and junior Chrysta Thomas have advanced as semifinalists in the Association of Chinese American Physicians (ACAP) 8th Annual Science Fair, a nationwide research competition in the biomedical field.

Both students will present their research during the semifinal round on Oct. 19 at the Flushing Library. Ella’s project, “Revolutionizing Precision Therapeutics: Targeting Hotspot Breast and Ovarian Cancer Mutation via Drug Repurposing,” explores how existing medications can be repurposed to improve cancer treatment outcomes. Chrysta’s project, “Co-expression Networks Regulate Nuclei Size in Human Breast Cancer Tissue Cells,” examines how genetic interactions affect cancer cell structure and growth.

The 2025 ACAP Science Fair Award Ceremony and Poster Presentation will take place on Nov. 12 at the Nassau County Legislative Chamber, where finalists from across the country will be honored.

Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District congratulates Ella and Chrysta on this remarkable achievement and wishes them continued success in the next round of competition.