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Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Student from Aurora, Ill., to be Honored for Research in Colorblindness
St. Paul, Minn. -
Xin (Cindy) Wang of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, IL, will be honored with the Neuroscience Research Prize for her work colorblindness. Wang will receive the award during the American Academy of Neurology’s 58th Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif., held April 1 – 8. The Neuroscience Research Prize is sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology, the American Academy of Neurology Foundation, and the Child Neurology Society. The award was established to encourage high school students to explore the world of the brain and nervous system through laboratory research. One of every 10,000 people suffers from complete colorblindness. Of those people, 25 percent have been found to have mutations on the Cnga3 gene. Wang used a mouse to map the Cnga3 gene and found the exact DNA mutation that caused colorblindness in the rodent. Her work can be used to develop and test new drugs or gene therapy techniques that may lead to a cure for colorblindness. “I am extremely honored and grateful to be receiving this award,” said Wang. I am also extremely excited to be attending the conference and try to learn more about neuroscience, a field which I am extremely interest in and hope to study more about in the future.” The 58th Annual Meeting takes place in the San Diego Convention Center. It is the world’s largest annual gathering of neurologists.