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WSSP 2025 Summer Institute

The 2025 WSSP Summer Institute (SI) was held at the Waksman Institute, Rutgers University from July 7 to July 18, 2025 for 31 students and 4 teachers.   The goal of the SI is for students and teachers to learn the background and methods on how to conduct a research project in molecular biology and bionformatics.  Students and teachers use this information to lead the research project in a class or club setting at their high schools during the academic year.   Participants learned how to purify DNA from a cDNA plasmid library of the duckweed Landoltia punctata.  They then analyzed the plasmids by PCR, restriction digests and agarose gel electrophoresis.   These DNA clones were sequenced and students performed bioinformatic analyses by searching the scientific databases to determine if their DNA sequences code for proteins and then investigated function of these proteins in the cell.  Students attending the 2025 SI were awarded Susan E. Coletta Teaching Scholarships to support their participation in the program.   Below is a list of the Scholars in the program and the cDNA plasmid clones they isolated, analyzed and published on the NCBI DNA sequence database.  Some of these clones are already posted on the est database and other clones are being processed by NCBI and should be posted shortly.  

Images of WSSP 2025 SI students and teachers working in the lab

# Susan E. Coletta Scholar School Published DNA Sequences 
4 Gargi Patel East Brunswick High School 04GP1.25, 04GP2.25, 04GP3.25, 04GP4.25
6 Lohith Kandalai Hillsborough High School 06LK1.25, 06LK2.25, 06LK3.25, 06LK4.25, 
7 Chelsea Rudden James Caldwell High School 7CR1.25, 7CR2.25, 7CR3.25, 7CR4.25, 
9 Eshaan Bhandar John P Stevens High School 09EB1.25, 09EB2.25, 09EB3.25, 09EB4.25, 
11 Vivian Wei Montville Township High School 11VW2.25, 11VW3.25, 11VW4.25, 
13 Gowri Nair Pascack Hills High School 13GN2.25, 13GN3.25, 13GN4.25, 
15 Mahadev Menon Rutgers Preparatory School 15MM1.25, 15MM2.25, 
18 Matthew Atileh Watchung Hills Regional High School 18MA1.25, 18MA2.25,18MA3.25, 18MA4.25,
19 Freya Miller West Windsor Plainsboro High School South 19MF1.25, 19MF2.25, 19MF3.25, 19MF4.25, 
19 Adithi Ramasagaram West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South 19AR1.25, 19AR2.25, 19AR3.25, 
35 Liza Bogdanovskaya Walter Johnson High School 35LB1.25, 35LB2.25, 35LB3.25, 35LB4.25, 
38 Jenna Tibak Hackettstown High School  38JT2.25, 38JT4.25
70 Tanvi Mareddy Old Bridge High School 70TM1.25, 70TM2.25, 70TM3.25, 70TM4.25, 
95 Carla Moreno Jose Marti STEM Acadmey 95CM1.25, 95CM2.25, 95CM3.25, 95CM4.25, 
96 Edina Lakja Holmdel High School 96EL1.25, 96EL2.25, 96EL3.25, 96EL4.25, 
104 Kayla Kamisiridis Elmwood Park Memorial High School 104KK1.25, 104KK3.25, 104KK4.25, 
105 Prerana Santosh North Brunswick Township High School 105SP2.25, 105SP3.25, 105SP4.25, 
109 Matteo Agastra New Providence High School 109MA1.25, 109MA2.25, 109MA3.25, 109MA4.25, 
117 Yuta Goldberg Columbia High School 117YG1.25, 117YG2.25, 117YG3.25, 117YG4.25, 
118 Diya Modi Monroe Township High School 118DM1.25, 118DM2.25, 118DM4.25, 
119 Apurva Kansara South Plainfield High School 119AK2.25, 119AK3.25, 119AK4.25, 
122 Chanasya Muthukumar West Windsor Plainsboro High School North  122CM2.25, 122CM3.25, 122CM4.25, 
131 Chelsea Amoah Phillipsburg High School 131CA1.25, 131CA2.25, 131CA4.25, 
133 Yve Lieberman Academy for Information Technology  
139 Deshna Ranjan Morris County School of Technology 139DR1.25139DR2.25, 139DR3.25, 139DR4.25, 
140 Alena Czar Howell High School 140AC2.25, 140AC3.25, 
146 Sarah Bansal Hunterdon Central Regional High School  146SB1.25, 146SB2.25
146 Carolina Gondo Hunterdon Central Regional High School  
147 Jennifer Zhou Summit High School 147JZ2.25, 147JZ3.25, 147JZ4.25, 
147 Jaenelle Osei Summit High School 147JO1.25, 147JO2.25, 147JO3.25, 
148  Taylor Schimmel  Pompton Lakes High School  148TS1.25, 148TS2.25, 148TS3.25,