From Gene Therapy to Genetic Fingerprinting: What Some Kids Will Do On Their Summer Vacation

Washington high-school students to spend a week in Fred Hutchinson laboratories

SEATTLE — Jul. 24, 2002 — "I learned more in one week than in a year of AP biology."

"You get to learn a lot about what lab researchers really do."

"It was mentally challenging and placed me in a setting with other students who have similar interests — I really enjoyed this week!"

"I would jump at the chance to do it again."

That's what former students have said about HutchLab, an intensive summer science workshop offered by Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Now in its fourth year, HutchLab will be offered in two one-week sessions: July 28-Aug. 2 (Session I) and Aug. 4-9 (Session II). Each session, to be held at Fred Hutchinson's campus on South Lake Union, will accommodate about 20 students from Washington state.

The students will learn a variety of biomedical research approaches used to explore and understand genetic diseases, from gene therapy to genetic fingerprinting. The theme of this summer's program is genetic diseases of the blood. On the final day of the program, students will share what they have learned using posters or computer-based presentations.

The aim of HutchLab is to build strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills through various scientific exercises designed to tackle challenging, real-world problems based on themes relevant to everyday life.

"Even if they don't become scientists, doing science helps develop valuable logical, troubleshooting and organizational skills useful in many areas of life," said Dave Masterman, HutchLab teacher-in-residence.

The workshop was created to address the many requests from science students who hope to visit and work on research projects at Fred Hutchinson.

HutchLab participants benefit from a student-teacher ratio of four to one. They work individually and in teams under the supervision of HutchLab staff scientists and an expert team of instructors, including Mary Glodowski of Juanita High School (Kirkland), Sherry Stuber of Sammamish High School (Bellevue) and Larry Bencivengo of Mercer Island High School (Mercer Island). Students also interact with many Fred Hutchinson scientists and staff.

What began as a Fred Hutchinson-funded pilot project is now supported by a three-year, $750,000 grant from the National Center for Research Resources at the National Institutes of Health. HutchLab is an offshoot of the center's Science Education Partnership, an award-winning statewide mentorship program for science teachers established in 1991.

Media Note
Reporters and photographers are welcome to visit HutchLab. To arrange a visit, please contact Kristen Woodward, (206) 667-5095. Digital photos of the student participants can be arranged in advance by contacting Caren Brinkema at (206) 667-4639 or cbrinkem@fhcrc.org.

 

2002 HutchLab Participants: Session I (July 28 - Aug. 2)

(Students will enter these grades in the fall)

Arlington
Lindsey Baer, 12th grade, Stillaguamish Valley School

Bellevue
Laura Murahashi, 12th grade, Newport High School
Jillian Yoshimoto, 12th grade, International School

Mercer Island
Max deMent, 11th grade, Mercer Island High School

Moses Lake
Jerami Vanderholm, 12th grade, Royal High School

Redmond
Richa Kumar, 11th grade, Interlake High School
Glenn Soon, 11th grade, Redmond High School

Renton
Falisha Adatia, 12th grade, Forest Ridge High School
Ashley Dollente, 11th grade, Seattle Preparatory School

Samammish
Ilya Golovaty, 11th grade, Eastlake High School

Seattle
Molly Acheson, 11th grade, Holy Names Academy
Carly Ann Crider, 12th grade, Roosevelt High School
Ivy Ho, 11th grade, Roosevelt High School
Elizabeth Jennings, 11th grade, Holy Names Academy
Michelle Virgin, 12th grade, Shorecrest High School

Shoreline
Angela Hughes, 12h grade, Shorewood High School

Vancouver
Renae Hamilton, 12th grade, Columbia River High School

Vashon
Tyler Williams, 11th grade, Vashon High School

Woodinville
Amanda Carson, 11th grade, Northshore Homeschool Network

 

2002 HutchLab Participants: Session II (Aug. 4-9)

(Students will enter these grades in the fall)

Bonney Lake
Malia Hansen, 11th grade, Sumner High School

Bothell
Rachael Rehberg, 12th grade, Inglemoor High School

Enumclaw
Margaret Mitsuyasu, 11th grade, Enumclaw High School

Everett
Robbie Lee, 12th grade, Everett High School

Federal Way
Jillian Girard, 11th grade, Holy Names Academy

Kent
Ron Herr, 11th grade, John F. Kennedy High

Kirkland
Matthew Winkler, 11h grade, Juanita High School

Lynwood
Shirley Fung, 12th grade, Kamiak High School

Mercer Island
Lesley Crawford, 11th grade, Mercer Island High School
Zoe Davis, 11th grade, Mercer Island High School

Redmond
Zhu Zhu Xiao, 12th grade, Redmond High School

Renton
Hannah Wong, 12th grade, Renton High School

Sammamish
Megan Rees, 12th grade, Skyline High School

Seattle
Michele Murphy, 11th grade, Holy Names Academy

Shoreline
Laura Finney, 11th grade, Shorewood High School

Snohomish
Alison Liang, 11th grade, International School of Beijing

Tacoma
Jessica Luppino, 11th grade, Puyallup High School

Woodinville
Nikhil Joshi, 11th grade, Woodinville High School

Media Contact
Kristen Woodward
(206) 667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org

# # #

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, home of two Nobel Prize laureates, is an independent, nonprofit research institution dedicated to the development and advancement of biomedical technology to eliminate cancer and other potentially fatal diseases. Fred Hutchinson receives more funding from the National Institutes of Health than any other independent U.S. research center. Recognized internationally for its pioneering work in bone-marrow transplantation, the center's four scientific divisions collaborate to form a unique environment for conducting basic and applied science. Fred Hutchinson, in collaboration with its clinical and research partners, the University of Washington Academic Medical Center and Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in the Pacific Northwest and is one of 38 nationwide. For more information, visit the center's Web site at www.fhcrc.org.