Briarcliff High School Students Study at Rockefeller University

Briarcliff High School students Sydney Zhang, Katy Burns, Derian Dominguez, Elizabeth Madden, and Karina Zielinski, accompanied by science teacher Dr. Robert Saar, traveled to Rockefeller University in Manhattan on January 6 to hear neuroscientists Dr. Leslie Vosshall and Dr. Benjamin Matthews discuss the behavior of mosquitoes including why they are so eager to bite humans. The researchers also discussed how gene editing, made easier using the new CRISPR technology, might allow scientists to interfere with disease-transmission by altering the behavior of mosquitoes.

Dr. Saar said, " The students were amazed to learn that malaria and the other diseases carried by mosquitoes kill more people per year—725,000—than the next 14 animals combined including humans, snakes, dogs (rabies) and sharks."

During the lunch break between lectures, the students participated in hands-on activities including a mosquito trivia quiz and how to experiment with mosquitoes.

Photograph Caption: Briarcliff High School participants on January 6, 2018 at a Rockefeller University mosquito neurobiology conference. (L to R: Sydney Zhang, Katy Burns, Derian Dominguez, Dr. Robert Saar, Elizabeth Madden, and Karina Zielinski)