Roslyn High School senior Maxx Yung is one of 300 scholar honorees to be named in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2023 competition—the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors.
The competition provides students with a national stage to present original research and celebrates the hard work and novel discoveries of young scientists who are bringing a fresh perspective to significant global challenges.
All 300 scholars will be awarded $2,000 each and their schools will be awarded $2,000 for each enrolled scholar. On Jan. 24, 40 of the 300 will be selected as finalists and granted a trip to Washington, D.C. in March, where they will compete for a piece of $1.8 million in prize money.
Yung spent the last three summers working on his research. His project, titled: μ-Opioids Endomorphin-1 and Endomorphin-2 Modulates Memory Processes in Alzheimer’s and COVID-19 Cell Models, found that endomorphins improve memory function through three distinct cellular pathways in Alzheimer’s and COVID-19 infected cells. His research also provided evidence that endomorphins might serve as a potential therapeutic treatment to memory impairment found in patients with Alzheimer’s and COVID-19.
Regeneron Science Talent Search scholars were selected from 1,949 applications from 627 high schools across 48 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and four other countries.
Scholars were chosen based on their outstanding research, leadership skills, community involvement, commitment to academics, creativity in asking scientific questions and exceptional promise as STEM leaders demonstrated through the submission of their original, independent research projects, essays and recommendations.
The 300 scholars hail from 194 American and international high schools in 35 states and China.
