63rd Annual STS (2003-2004)
Finalists
Felicia Yuen-Lee Yen

NEW YORK
Felicia Yuen-Lee Yen, 17, of Dix Hills, conducted breast cancer and gene therapy research for her Intel Science Talent Search project in medicine and health. In the first phase of her project, using the genetic data of 100 cancer-associated genes, Felicia developed a diagnostic test for breast cancer with the capacity to predict the development of a tumor from normal tissue in the early developmental stage of tumor formation. Her prototype microarray panel diagnostic test demonstrated a remarkable 83-to-93 percent success rate. Felicia also investigated the use of a genetically modified adenovirus in conjunction with heat-shock drugs to cure cancer by selectively killing mutated cancer cells while leaving normal cells intact. Felicia attends Half Hollow Hills High School East where she is co-president of the National Honor Society, co-president of Mathletes, co-captain of Science Olympiads and Science Explorers, senior president of the Academic Team and a competitive swimmer. Outside of school she is co-director of Habitat for Humanity and a flutist with the Gemini Youth Orchestra. The daughter of Dr. Clifford and Yuet Yen, she plans to earn an M.D./Ph.D., become a clinical physician and do research.