A project that uses advanced computer modeling to identify new medications for nicotine addiction has won the highest honor in the Addiction Science Awards at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, which is world’s largest science competition for high school students. The competition is sponsored by the National Institute for Drug Addiction.
The winner Ameya Deshkumkh, a 16-year-old student from Arlington, Ohio came up with his winning project “Rational Drug Design Methods for the Identification of a Novel Negative Allosteric Modulator of a4b2 Nicotinic Receptors.”
Because identifying the molecule that will bind to nicotine receptors can be a very tedious task, Deshmukh used a rational drug design method. By first selecting the candidate molecules then computerizing them into molecular model, he can narrow down the roster of probable compounds. After that, he would test these on human body cells in order to identify which of these compounds would act well in treating nicotine addiction.
This year, NIDA successfully drew more than 1,500 students for more than 50 countries all over the world. The event took place at the San Jose Convention Center and was coordinated by the Society for Science and the Public. The winners of the Addiction Science Awards received cash prizes; the prize for the first placer is $2,500 plus a scholarship.
Tags: addiction science award, nicotine addiction
