59th Annual STS (1999–2000)
Finalists
Nancy Huynh

CALIFORNIA
Nancy Huynh, 17, of Alhambra, submitted a medicine project to the Intel Science Talent Search investigating the potential for a certain protein, the cytokine TGF(, to benefit patients suffering from lupus disease. Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body fails to recognize the difference between foreign invaders and its own cells and tissues. Nancy's work revealed that brief exposure of the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) cells to TGF( significantly decreases antibody production-that's good news for lupus patients. She presented her work at two conferences and co-authored a paper to be published in the Journal of Immunology. At Alhambra High School, Nancy is co-editor-in-chief of the weekly newspaper, 200- and 400-meter runner on the track team, elementary school tutor in math and English, and Wellesley College Book Award winner. In 1998, she won a Los Angeles Times journalism award. The daughter of Tony and Diana Wong, Nancy reads Cantonese, Mandarin and French fluently, and plans a double major in biochemistry and English at Princeton.

(Editors note: Parents Tony and Diana Wong are also known by the names: Hoa Huynh and Sam Ly)