Lauren Rose Lisann

NEW YORK

Lauren Rose Lisann, 18, of Dix Hills, studied the role of two specific genes that are possibly responsible for developmental dyslexia - a reading disability - for her Intel Science Talent Search project in medicine and health. In the course of her research, Lauren developed a MATLAB computer program that analyzed neuron locations in brain tissue samples from rats transfected in utero with plasmids targeted against these genes. Her program automated the process and broadened the scope of the counts to each single neuron's coordinates rather than comparing neurons grouped into deciles, improving the laboratory's standard methodology. Her results and analysis suggested that both genes synergistically caused changes in the migration of neurons in the cortex, leading to visible malformations. Similar observations have been made in studies of the brains of dyslexic humans. Lauren is first in her class of 353 at Half Hollow Hills High School West, where she participates in crew and cross country. She received the Harvard Book Award and enjoys hiking, painting, and piano. The daughter of Neal and Debra Lisann, Lauren is captain of the Dix Hills Fire Department Juniors Program.