News Release

The 2008 NIDA Science Fair Award Winners

The 2008 winners visit the Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington, DC as a guest of NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow

This is Archived Content. This content is available for historical purposes only. It may not reflect the current state of science or language from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). View current news releases on nida.nih.gov.

The 2008 winners visit the Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington, DC as a guest of NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow

First Place Winner
Kapil Vishveshwar Ramachandran

Presenting The Novel Role of the GluClα; Ion Channel and Diazepam Binding Genes in Alcohol Addiction to the Director of NIH

First place award winner Kapil Ramachandranwith with NIH Director Elias Zerhouni and NIDA Director Nora Volkow.First place award winner Kapil Ramachandran with NIH Director Elias Zerhouni and NIDA Director Nora Volkow.

Kapil Vishveshwar Ramachandran, is a freshman at Duke University. He submitted his winning project, The Novel Role of the GluClα; Ion Channel and Diazepam Binding Genes in Alcohol Addiction, while he was a senior at Westwood High School in Austin, Texas. He was only 16 years old! The young scientist determined that when a specific protein (Diazepam binding inhibitor) is deleted in fruit flies, the flies may lose their tolerance to alcohol. Although the protein had been previously identified, these findings are a strong indication that it may play a role in addiction.

Second Place Winner
Ethan Garrett Guinn

Presenting Video Games: The Next Generation's Addiction to the Director of NIH

Second place award winner Ethan Guinn with NIH Director Elias Zerhouni and NIDA Director Nora Volkow.Second place award winner Ethan Guinn with NIH Director Elias Zerhouni and NIDA Director Nora Volkow.

Ethan Garrett Guinn, from Moore, Oklahoma won second place for his project Video Games: The Next Generation's Addiction. He chose the topic based on his own observation that video games are often used as babysitting tools, yet can lead to obsessive use. Ethan won the competition as a senior at Moore High School in Moore, Oklahoma. He now attends Rose State College in Oklahoma.

Third Place Winner
Shelby Marie Raye

Presenting What's In and What's Out: High Schoolers' Perceptions of Coolness to the Director of NIH

Third place award winner Shelby Raye with NIH Director Elias Zerhouni and NIDA Director Nora Volkow.Third place award winner Shelby Raye with NIH Director Elias Zerhouni and NIDA Director Nora Volkow.

Shelby Marie Raye from Manatee High School in Bradenton, Florida captured third place. Her project, What's In and What's Out: High Schoolers' Perceptions of Coolness identified unique parameters that affect life trajectories, and may help scientists better understand peer pressure, a common force in initiation of substance abuse. Shelby won her high honors while only a freshman.