Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi,

I have competed in Science Fair for the past two years, making it to county both times and placing third at State last year. I've always been interested in the medical field and wanted to incorporate that in my project this year. I have done some research over the summer and have decided on a general topic about cancer.

My problem question:
How do the potentially carcinogenic chemicals, such as formaldehyde, perchlorethylene, methylene chloride, oxybenzone, chemical dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and petrochemical ethylene oxide, found in common household cleaning products, affect the growth of lung adenocarcinoma cells compared to nicotine, a known carcinogen found in cigarettes? (I may also test colon or epithelial adenocarcinoma cells depending on the cost and other factors).

http://www.all-science-fair-projects.co ... 104_4.html
Upon conducting my research, I came across this project regarding the affects of nicotine on adenocarcinoma cells and came up with my own idea of testing different household chemicals that are potential carcinogens on lung cancer cells. The website states that a Phosphatase assay kit was used to test the growth of the cancer cells. I've looked further into what a Phosphatase assay kit is; however, I am still confused about how it is used and whether or not it gathers quantitative data. How would I use a Phosphatase assay kit and are there any other ways to test the growth of cancer cells?

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Also, I read the "How to Find a Mentor" article earlier and I have a few questions regarding it. The article stated that I am supposed to ask the mentor if he/she needs any help in his/her lab over the summer. Would it be too late for me to start searching for a mentor now even though summer is almost over?

The article also advised me to show interest in the research of the mentor that I am contacting and conduct an interview to discuss more about his or her research. I have found the work of a cell biology professor at a local college, UCR, online. Her research involves identifying components in pomegranate juice that may stop cancer from spreading. Would her type of research and work be close enough to the concepts involved my project idea for me to pursue her as a mentor? Also, with any mentor, if I ask him or her if help is needed in the lab as instructed in the "How to Find a Mentor" article, would I still be able to work on my own science fair project or would I just be helping with whatever he or she is doing? How would I ask for his or her assistance in my own science fair project?

Sorry for this extremely long post. I just have a lot of questions and wanted to give some background info about my project. (: Thank you so much for your help.

Jessica

Hi there Jessica,
Let me first begin with saying how impressed I am with your project initiative!
Your idea of measuring the effect of common household carcinogens on lung cancer cells is a very advanced topic -- and extremely interesting! Finding a research mentor is sometimes difficult, and may, at times, be frustrating. However, I will do my best to help make that process a fun one.

To answer your first question: 1. "How would I use a Phosphatase assay kit" and 2. "are there any other ways to test the growth of cancer cells?"

A Phosphatase Assay Kit comes in a variety of "types." There are acid-based and alkaline-based ones, depending on what kind of result you want to analyze for your "data" section. The Alkaline-based kits measures the amount of alkaline phosphotase (AP), a ubiquitous marker in undifferentiated cells, present in a sample. An Acid-based kit detects acid phosphotases (APs), enzymes that assist in the hydrolysis of a certain compound (orthophosphate monoesters) in the body. It is used most popularly for the detection of diseases, and would likely be the best choice in your case.

There are many other ways to test the growth of cancer cells, but will require advanced technology available only in a laboratory setting. I recommend first finding a mentor, then discussing with him/her your project idea and brainstorming on your possibilities. Chances are, you will find a lab that is also interested in studying cancer cells, and that will help you with your experiment in ways you never imagined.

Your second question is one that many budding young scientists ask--how do I find a research mentor? -- and one that I, too, had to answer.

First off, it is imperative that you decide on how much time you can realistically invest in performing research at a university lab. Unlike self-guided research, working at a lab requires real time commitment: at least 5-7 hours a week. If time is a limiting factor, I would suggest asking a science teacher to be a research mentor, instead. He/She could give you valuable advice and guidance while still allowing you much independence with your schedule. However, if you can commit the minimum 5 hours/wk, then search on! (A minimum of 5 hours a week is recommended, because as much as you are taking time to work in a lab, the lab members are investing even more time into training you.)
You've already begun the first step: research. The cell biology professor you mentioned is a good start. If it seems like researching the effects of pomegranate juice will help you find solutions to your question, then her lab would be a fine one to work at.
I would look a little further, however, and see if there's any faculty member in the Biomedical Sciences or Biochemistry department who performs work especially on lung cells. If not, cast your net wider, and look for people who are studying human or animal cells. I'd suggest making a list of ~10 faculty members, and spending a good hour or two reading their research websites, checking out their publications, etc, to get a good feel of how your project idea would "fit in" to their overall purpose. You not only want to find a lab that can help you advance your research, but also one where your research can advance their lab, as well.

As for the second part, " would I still be able to work on my own science fair project or would I just be helping with whatever he or she is doing," most P.I.s (Principal Investigator) do start you off with something they are working on, just to help you learn the ropes or see how much you already know. Most of the training will be done by someone known as the "technician" in your lab. He/She will be one of your most valuable resources while working there, and you will find yourself mentored by him/her on a day-to-day basis. After a few weeks, arrange a meeting with your P.I., and ask for advice on designing your experiment, ways to measure results, etc. Most P.Is will be more than happy to give you assistance on your project -- as long as what you're researching doesn't deviate too much from that of the lab's! After talking with him/her, you should have a better idea of how far you can carry your project. It might even turn into an advanced, long-term investigation! Who knows?

You ask some very good questions; I hope I answered them fully. Please don't hesitate to reply with more inquisitions. After all, science is about the questions we ask!

Good luck to you, and let me know how the search goes

Best,
ktsshao

Hi Jessica,

Ktsshao has given you some excellent advice on finding a mentor and considering the time that would be required. I have just a few additional comments that I hope will be helpful. This is a challenging and very worthwhile project. You have done an impressive amount of background research and your topic is excellent. It sounds like you are trying to narrow down the project to identify an experiment that you can actually do.

Phosphatases are enzymes that add phosphate (PO4) groups to proteins. These enzymes are very important in cell signaling to promote or inhibit various physiological responses in the body. Phosphatase activity can be used to monitor patients who have had cancer, and, for example, an increase in a specific phosphatase could indicate a relapse of the cancer.

Here are two incomplete Wikipedia articles on phosphatases and cell signaling that provide some useful background information and, most important, some scientific references on the topic that you can use for additional background reading. The success of this project will depend on reading scientific papers on the subject so you can design a unique and very worthwhile experiment to answer your project question. You should also look for references on any research that has been done on phosphatases and adenocarcinoma.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphatase

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_transduction

Your project idea would require access to a tissue culture lab, which would involve finding a mentor who is doing similar research. The professor that you are going to interview obviously has a lab that has facilities that could be used for your project. And it would be very worthwhile for you to work in a lab where you could learn how to do the specific techniques required for the experiment. You should definitely use your interest in science, your previous success in science projects, and your ideas to inquire about the possibility of conducting your experiments at this lab. Since the materials required for the project are very expensive, you should explore the possibility of doing an experiment or part of the project that has already been funded by grants. Remember that the Professor and other staff members are extremely busy with grant, research, and paper deadlines. Before the interview try to think of reasons why a busy Professor would want to invest any time in helping you.

The research on the pomegranate juice has been presented, but not published yet. You could read some of the previous papers by this professor so you can ask better questions about the research at this lab:

http://cbns.ucr.edu/faculty/martins-green.html

Since you don't have access to a lab at this time, you should still continue your background reading and try to identify an experiment that you could do in your high school lab. I'm sure there are lots of possibilities.


Donna Hardy