Stefan Klein Muller

NEW YORK

Stefan Klein Muller, 17, of Port Washington, created a computer program to model a largely unknown process involved in the body's inflammatory response to damaged tissue for the medicine and health project he submitted to the Intel Science Talent Search. Because it is extremely difficult to experimentally study the migration of leukocytes through blood vessels as they move between vascular endothelial cells to the inflammation site, Stefan created a cellular automaton model that computationally simulates real-life processes using known information. He confirmed the model's predictions through experimentation with human umbilical cells, and believes it will help increase our understanding of inflammation. First in his class of 377 at Paul D. Schreiber High School, Stefan is active in the drama club, technical managing editor of the school paper, president of the math honor society, and sings in the choir. He's been an active member of the National Youth Rights Association since eighth grade and was elected vice president last summer. The son of William and Joan Muller, he hopes to study mathematics or physics at Harvard or the University of Chicago.