Evan Joseph Babazadeh

NEW YORK

Evan Joseph Babazadeh, 17, of Roslyn, submitted to the Intel Science Talent Search a medicine and health project studying the mechanism by which embryonic stem cells differentiate into functional hematopoietic (blood) stem cells. Using commercially available mouse stem cells, Evan demonstrated that both endothelial cells (cells from the inner lining of blood vessels) and progenitor cells (parent cells) were required to enhance proliferation and differentiation of embryonic cells into a large number of functional blood cells. Although Evan's project concerned mouse cells, his work is expected to readily apply to studies of human cells. This new avenue may provide a means to produce sufficient material for bone marrow stem transplantation into leukemia patients who lack compatible donors. His findings have been submitted as an abstract to an upcoming international meeting of stem cell researchers. At Roslyn High School, Evan is a varsity wrestler and president of the medical explorers, environmental and SADD clubs. The son of Amir and Mina Babazadeh, Evan hopes to study molecular biology at the University of Pennsylvania or Cornell in preparation for a career in medicine.