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2017-2018

The research project for the 2017/2018 WSSP focused on analysis of the mRNA population of Landoltia punctata, a duckweed. The goal of the research was to determine which genes are expressed in this organism, and how they compared with expressed genes from other species. Students in the project used molecular biology and bioinformatic techniques to isolate and sequenced genes from a cDNA library (a collection of mRNA's copied into DNA's). Students used the DNA Sequence Analysis Program to analyze the gene sequences.   These sequences have never been determined before. If a student successfully analyzed a sequence, it was published in GenBank, the international repository of all known DNA sequences, for other scientists to study. Each published sequence bears the student's name and his/her teacher's name. A complete list of the schools, teachers and number of students that participated in the 2017/2018 WSSP can be found below with links to their published sequences.  

Below is a list of the schools, teachers, and number students involved in the 2017-2018 WSSP Research Project.  Links to the School name will connect to the school's home page.  Links to the number of students will connect to the DNA sequences published by these students.  

School City State Teacher(s)   # of students  
Academy for Enrichment & Advancement  Union City  NJ Ms. Amanda Smith-Dougherty   28  
Columbia High School Maplewood NJ Ms. Amanda Buckely   1  
Dougherty Valley High School San Ramon CA Ms. Katherine Huang   62  
East Brunswick High School East Brunswick NJ Ms. Anne Sanelli   46  
Elmwood Park Memorial High School Elmwood Park NJ Ms. Dolores Gale   33  
Fair Lawn High School Fair Lawn NJ Ms.Kathryn Straubel   17  
Granada High School Livermore CA Ms. Elizabeth Lopez   29  
Hackettstown High School  Hackettstown NJ Ms. Kristen Gonzalez   6  
Hamburg Area High School Hamburg  PA Ms. Melissa Farina   10  
Hillsborough High School  Hillsborough NJ Dr. Craig Hoppe, Minh Dang   100  
Holmdel High School Holdmel  NJ Dr. Josephine Blaha   16  
James Caldwell High School  West Caldwell NJ Mr. Paul Marrone   18  
JP Stevens High School  Edison NJ Mr. Jay Jones   132  
Jefferson Township High School Jefferson NJ Mr. Gino Rose   24  
Kinnelon High School Kinnelon NJ Ms. Nancy Rinaldi   27  
Middlesex Co Academy of SMET Edison MD Dr. Michael Ricketts   22  
Modesto High School  Modesto CA Mr. Jeff Austin   28  
Monroe Township High School Monroe NJ Mr. Christopher Himmelhber   15  
Montville Township High School  Montville NJ Mr. Heather Einstein   22  
New Providence High School New Providence NJ Mr. Alessandro Pizzo   12  
Newark Academy Newark NJ Mr. Andrew Ryan   9  
North Brunswick Township High School North Brunswick NJ Dr. Lucille O'Reilly   7  
Old Bridge High School Old Bridge NJ Ms. Adelle Cockrill   15  
Pascack Hills High School  Montvale NJ Dr. Martin Edelberg   25  
Pascack Valley High School  Hillsdale NJ Dr. Marlene Healey   19  
Piscataway High School Piscataway NJ Dr. Craig Lollin   28  
Princeton High School Princeton NJ Ms. Jacqueline Katz   38  
Rae Kushner Yeshiva HS Livingston NJ Ms. Alina Suarez   7  
Robbinsville High School Robbinsville NJ Ms. Stefanie Ucles   1  
Rutgers Preparatory School  Somerset NJ Ms. Jacque Lamb   11  
Science and Math Academy at Aberdeen  Aberdeen MD Ms. Linda McDonough   11  
South Plainfield High School South Plainfield NJ Ms. Kathleen Benton   22  
South River High School  East Edgewater MD Ms. Eleanor Nulud   21  
The Frisch School  Paramus NJ Dr. Mindy Furman   35  
The Pingry School Basking Ridge NJ Mr. David Maxwell   21  
Toms River High School North Toms River NJ Ms. Christine Girtain   10  
Toms River High School South Toms River NJ Ms. Christine Girtain   9  
Tracy High School  Tracy CA Ms. Erin McKay   41  
Waipahu High School  Waipahu HI Mr. Michael Sana   33  
Walter Johnson High Scchool  Bethesda MD Ms. Joan McDermott   25  
Watchung Hills Regional High School  Warren NJ Ms. Anne-Marie Johnson   22  
West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North Princeton Junction NJ Ms Karel Marshall   20  
West Windsor Plainsboro High School South  Princeton Junction NJ Dr. Meenakshi Bhattacharya   41  
Winston Churchill High School  Potomac MD Ms. Ginny Brown   74  
Total number of schools 44   Total number of students   1193