Smithtown West Senior Named Regeneron Scholar

SMITHTOWN, NY — Julia Savino, a student at Smithtown High School West, has been named a top 300 Scholar in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the school district announced. The competition is considered the oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition for high school seniors in the nation.

Savino conducted her research in the Smithtown High School West science research laboratory during the past three years. During this time, she focused on understanding the mechanism by which glutamate receptor activation causes a cascade of events that result in excitotoxicity, according to Joanne Figueiredo, Smithtown High School West science research teacher.

Savino has used the model organism Nematostella vectensis. Her recent work has developed into an analysis of the evolution of calmodulin and its kinase. She hopes to help develop strategies that mitigate the excitotoxicity that occurs in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

"It is always great to hear that your student has been selected as a Regeneron Semifinalist, but this year it has special meaning," Dr. Figueiredo said via news release. "Julia has persevered
despite all that has gone on. She is a student who always does the best she can possibly do
and I have no doubt that she has a bright future."