Congratulates to Anne Lee and Albert Shieh who won the $100,000 team prize for the Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science and Technology.
“Anne Lee and Albert Shieh won the team prize for developing an improved software package that analyzes genetic data. The team developed their project, SNiPer: Improved SNP Genotype Calling for Affymetrix 10K GeneChip Microarray Data, while interning at the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, where their mentors were Dietrich Stephan, David Craig and Matt Huentelman.
In the process of helping with lab work and data analysis, the students identified an opportunity to improve on a commercially developed software package designed to analyze high volume genetic data. They developed improved genetic analysis software — which their genomics lab now uses — that enables more accurate and efficient identification of the genes underlying inherited disorders in humans. The team then used their software to pinpoint the mutated gene that causes a childhood degenerative disorder.” [From Press Release: The Siemens Foundation]
Both are high school interns at TGen (Translational Genomics Research), a Phoenix-based organization exploring Genomic technologies. TGen’s program illustrates the power of giving students a chance to participate in exciting new technologies. What an exciting field and opportunity for these students.
The SNiPer application they developed is a free download here. It’s a Java-based app and you’ll need Java 1.4.
Update: Turns out you need Java 1.5 to run the app…Thanks Bob for pointing this out.