News&Observer
Monday, November 30, 2009
BY: Sadia Latifi
DURHAM Sometimes the best research comes from a personal connection.
Two
years ago, N.C. School of Science and Mathematics student Lanair Lett
was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, a diagnosis he shares with his
mother and late grandmother. The insatiably curious Lett, now a senior,
began to read everything he could about diabetes, eventually qualifying
for the Siemens Competition for Math, Science & Technology with a
research project that could help scientists develop new diabetes
treatments.
"There's a lot of information about managing the
disease but not necessarily about the disease itself," said Lett, 18,
who is from Henderson. "I learned so much while doing this research -
more than anything from a textbook."
His project
examined the relationship between the gene HDAC-1 and the growth of
beta cells, which produce insulin, a hormone lacking in diabetics.
After manipulating and replicating HDAC-1, Lett found that larger
amounts of the HDAC-1 protein in the gene corresponded with beta cell
growth and, thus, more insulin production.
"We're
not necessarily close to a cure, but this will help us understand the
pathway for beta cell growth that can be used for the treatment of
diabetes," he said, talking quickly and excitedly about the importance
of his research.
Through Project SEED, a statewide science
enrichment program for minorities, Lett worked long hours on his
project and took classes at Duke University over the summer.
"Even
when experiments didn't work, he was still positive and never took it
personally," said Dr. Jeffery Tessem, Lett's mentor at Duke's Stedman
Center for Metabolism and Nutrition. "He's years ahead of many other
scientists."
Lett said working on this project, his first research experience, opened his eyes.
"This
really moved me away from lab by numbers, where everything's laid out
for you and the end result is already known. There's a lot more room
for mistakes," he said, adding that once he accidentally threw away
some of his test samples.
Competing has
been exciting but also nerve-wracking, according to Lett, who admitted
he felt nervous at the regional competition in Atlanta earlier this
month when presenting his findings and facing questions from judges.
"You're
always worried they are going to catch you off guard," said Lett, who
attended Southern Vance High School in Henderson before transferring to
the state school.
Until now, he has been able to share some of
his experiences with other classmates. Three other students from N.C.
School of Science and Mathematics also qualified for regionals. Lett
said there was a "friendly competition" but that he's proud to
represent the school in the national contest.
Lett isn't positive
what he wants to do in the future - he might be a geneticist, a biology
teacher, or a doctor - but he said he was hoping to major in
biochemistry and classics in college.
If he wins in New York this
week, the $100,000 scholarship will come just in time. Lett is applying
to colleges now and said his first choice is Columbia University.