Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi

As you can see on subject, I'm assuming to do research about retinal and heart regeneration of Zebrafish.
Professor who I am contacting researches about retinal regeneration so I am not sure I can actually do experiment about heart regeneration.
If it is possible, I think I will try to find commonalities between retinal and heart regeneration.

If it is not possible, then I think I will focus on mechanisms of retinal regeneration and adopt that mechanism to other mammal animals like mouse if I have plenty of time.
I'm still looking for good topic since I only researched about heart regeneration.
Anyway, how do you think about my 2 topics above? I just want to know that my topic is worth and good one to go to ISEF.
Last year, I started too late so I didn't even have a chance to attend the science fair and it hurt me a lot.
So I'm kind of trying to work hard now.


And I have one more question. Last year, I read about bio-safety levels in ISEF instructions and it had like tons of documents to write........
Should I finish writing these documents before I start my research?

Best,
KyungHeui Kim

kyhekm wrote:Hi

As you can see on subject, I'm assuming to do research about retinal and heart regeneration of Zebrafish.
Professor who I am contacting researches about retinal regeneration so I am not sure I can actually do experiment about heart regeneration.
If it is possible, I think I will try to find commonalities between retinal and heart regeneration.

If it is not possible, then I think I will focus on mechanisms of retinal regeneration and adopt that mechanism to other mammal animals like mouse if I have plenty of time.
I'm still looking for good topic since I only researched about heart regeneration.
Anyway, how do you think about my 2 topics above? I just want to know that my topic is worth and good one to go to ISEF.
Last year, I started too late so I didn't even have a chance to attend the science fair and it hurt me a lot.
So I'm kind of trying to work hard now.


And I have one more question. Last year, I read about bio-safety levels in ISEF instructions and it had like tons of documents to write........
Should I finish writing these documents before I start my research?

Best,
KyungHeui Kim

As for bio safety and forms, you should do them BEFORE you do your research to ensure that your project will be eligible for ISEF. They can be pretty picky about biological studies, especially with vertebrates. You wouldn't want to do the entire project only to find out that they won't let you in at the fair! This is what it says in their rulebook:

"Before experimentation begins, an Institutional Review
Board (IRB) or Scientific Review Committee (SRC)
must review and approve most projects involving
human subjects, vertebrate animals, and potentially
hazardous biological agents. See the appropriate
sections of the Rules Book."

I don't know how long they take to approve project topics. If it is going to take months, you might want to do a different project. So I would look at the forms and give them a call about how long the approval process is going to take.

For your project idea, I don't know much about your topic. If you want to be competitive at ISEF, your project should be pretty original. Search for other studies involving heart or retinal regeneration in zebrafish or other animals and see what type of research is being done with them. If this research is cutting edge and no one else has done something similar to it, then your project is unique, and that's what you want. If someone has done something similar already, you want to add something original to the research.

We have a collection of articles on how to do an advanced project, as well as how to find and read scientific papers: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... ?From=body

Specifically, you should read the "How be be successful at a top science competition" and "Roundtable for finding an idea for an advanced project" pages. They will give you an idea of what criteria to look for in a competitive topic. The project ideas you have mentioned may already match that criteria.

I would also take a look at the ISEF judging criteria as you do your project. You can find it here: http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/j ... elines.asp

Let us know if you have any other questions. Good luck!