Avanthi Raghavan

FLORIDA

Avanthi Raghavan, 17, of Orlando, submitted a biochemistry project to the Intel Science Talent Search studying the mechanisms of protein transport critical to the survival and virulence of the malaria parasite, which infects the human host's red blood cells. Using fluorescent markers and confocal laser scanning microscopy imaging, Avanthi built on research she began three years ago on the parasite, which is responsible for more than two million deaths every year. She hopes her work will help researchers find exploitable targets for the development of new drug therapies to attack malaria parasites that have developed a resistance to existing anti-malarial drugs such as quinine, chloroquine and amodiaquine. At the Lake Highland Preparatory School, Avanthi is vice president of the pre-med club and volunteers with Give Kids the World, a nonprofit dedicated to fulfilling the wishes of children with terminal illnesses. In addition to her interests in piano and knitting, Avanthi explores her Indian culture through Carnatic music. The daughter of Chakravarthy and Vasanthy Raghavan, Avanthi hopes to study biochemistry at the University of Pennsylvania or Johns Hopkins.