Alexis Li
Hamilton High School
Chandler, AZ
BrainSTEAM: A Practical Pipeline for Connectome-Based fMRI Analysis Toward Brain Disorder Classification
Alexis Li developed a suite of machine-learning tools that analyze blood flow information in functional MRI images to identify key neural patterns in conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and depression. Alexis believes that this will enable doctors to diagnose various neurological disorders earlier, reducing costly late-stage treatment.
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Alexis Li, 17, of Gilbert, developed a suite of machine learning tools that identify key neural patterns in neuropsychiatric conditions for her Regeneron Science Talent Search neuroscience project. Alexis made BrainSTEAM, which analyzes blood flow information in functional MRI images to determine the strength of the connections between regions of the brain, identifying key neural patterns in conditions including autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and depression. Evaluation against existing tools showed BrainSTEAM outperformed them.
Alexis believes her research will help health professionals diagnose these conditions earlier, before it’s too late for treatment, as current diagnoses are typically based on subjective evaluation.
Alexis attends Hamilton High School in Chandler, where she captains the Lincoln Douglas debate team, ranking first in the state for all events. A self-described “pickleball addict,” she founded a cross-generational pickleball club composed of high-schoolers and seniors from a local community center. The daughter of Fei Peng and Qiang Li, Alexis wants to pursue her doctorate in bioengineering while running a medical startup that promotes accessible and groundbreaking medical solutions.
Beyond the Project
Alexis was on a four-person team that placed first out of 700 in the Global Diamond Challenge Entrepreneurship Competition, for which they developed a functional and affordable prosthetic arm.
FUN FACTS: Inspired by the animation and social messages in Studio Ghibli films like “Spirited Away,” Alexis has begun creating short animated films herself.
