59th Annual STS (1999–2000)
Finalists
Chrisann Kyi

NEW YORK
Chrisann Kyi, 17, of South Salem, decided to study the causes of arteriosclerosis after observing open-heart surgery last year, leading to her Intel Science Talent Search medicine project. Using cells from mice, Chrisann studied macrophage uptake of the lipoprotein ßVLDL and its possible role in atherosclerosis, the most common form of arteriosclerosis-hardening of the arteries. After studying two apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse strains, she concluded that ßVLDL is consumed by a saturable receptor on macrophages, types of immune cells. She also found that the activity of this receptor is greater in one macrophage-the one with eight times the atherosclerosis susceptibility-than in the other macrophage included in her study. First in her class of 244 at John Jay High School in Katonah, Chrisann is editor-in-chief of the newspaper, captain of the varsity track and cross country teams, studies piano, plays violin in the orchestra and tutors at the writing center she founded last year. In her spare time, she enjoys running, tennis, swimming and creative writing. Chrisann is the daughter of Dr. Michael and Lana Kyi and hopes to study pre-med and biology at Harvard.