In the news today, from my former hometown Hamilton, Ontario, comes a great story about seeking clues for the development and treatment of Parkinson’s Disease. Hamilton is well known for its excellent health facilities and research intitatives though, in Canada, it has not been a hub for PD. It was a surprise to discover this research emanating from “The Hammer” but even more I marvelled at the source – a 9th Grade student, Anika Gupta, of Westdale Secondary School!
That is correct. A Grade 9 student. I don’t know what you were doing in Grade 9 dear reader but winning a Science Fair or conducting scientific research were nowhere on my radar (unless of course you call trips to Quebec to smuggle and sample large quarts of beer research). Having a father who is a Professor in Biology at McMaster certainly may have sparked her interest and provided her with a good foundation and good genes, but this doesn’t diminish her own accomplishments in the least.
Using a tiny species of roundworm as her model, Gupta’s research showed that a certain gene in the roundworm and a certain small chemical compound were able to protect the same types of nerve cells that are damaged when a person develops Parkinson’s. She’s now working with a McMaster professor of chemical engineering in the early stages of developing a nasal spray that could deliver the chemical compound to the brain to perhaps delay onset of the disease.
Great stuff Anika! When you have they time, let me buy you a beer to congratulate you! I am well versed on some of the more intriguing and hearty craft lagers from Quebec.
To read the full article on Anika Gupta’s work, click here.