Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Dear Sciencebuddies,

My name is Dhruv and I am trying to find a science fair project for next year. I am very interested in neurosciences and would like to conduct experiments regarding neurodegenerative diseases (AD, PD) or brain cancer (glioblastoma). I am familiar with most of the terminology and would like to conduct a "Prevent it" or "Cure it" project (Lemelson-MIT project categories). I am not entering in Lemelson-MIT, rather just creating a science fair project for regional competition, however I want to create a project that could cure deadly diseases and most likely will need a mentor and laboratory for guidance and equipment. Could you please help me find a mentor and laboratory for my project?
Last year, I received 2 awards from Queen's University regarding Neurosciences and Pathology, and the people who gave me the awards are professors I will meet with for potential mentors. Other than that, I would really appreciate laboratories in other places in case if my opportunity at Queen's is turned down.

also could you help me in a later post in deciding a project or further steps towards creating a good project.

Thank you so much and I appreciate all the help you can give me.

Dhruv

Hi Dhruv and welcome to Scibuddies.

Preventing or curing Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's is a great goal--in fact 100s of scientists have been working on this for several decades. You are correct that you will need to talk to professors who are doing brain research to find a lab to work in. We can help you in creating a proposal but only you can decide where you would be able to work on the project. Research takes a total commitment of time and energy and a professional scientist can only afford to mentor a person who is able to devote many hours to a project.

The professors at Queen's University are your best place to start as they are already familiar with your skills. Talk to them, listen to what they say and ask lots of questions. That's the best way to learn about what a mentor is looking for in a prospective student.

If you have specific questions about a prospective lab program, we can help you, and of course later on when you are working on a hypothesis and experimental methods, statistics, etc. we can guide you with that.

Good luck!

Sybee