Xiaoyun Yin

NEW YORK

Xiaoyun Yin, 17, of Forest Hills, studied the effect of maternal separation on neurogenesis - the creation of new brain cells or neurons - in the hippocampus, an area of the brain associated with behavior, for her Intel Science Talent Search project in behavioral and social sciences. The mammalian hippocampus retains the ability to undergo neurogenesis in adulthood. In Linda's study, tissue collected from mice separated from their parents during their developmental phase demonstrated an increased number of neurons at abnormal locations. Linda believes similar proliferation and migration of neurons in humans could lead to abnormal synapse formation, which could cause psychological disorders in adults such as anxiety or depression. A pianist since the age of four and a self-taught guitarist, Linda is passionate about all kinds of music. She co-founded The Mixtape, an alternative rock music club at Stuyvesant High School in New York. Born in China and fluent in Chinese, she tutors students of Mandarin after school. Linda is the daughter of Deqi Yin and Yun Li. She hopes to attend MIT or Yale, become a physician and also conduct biological research.