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Satellite High School Student Wins Florida Biotechnology Research Competition

At The Age of 17, Jenna Pappalardo is Aspiring to Solve Challenges Facing Today’s Lung Cancer Research – Moves on to the U.S. National BioGENEius Challenge in Hopes of Winning the International Title

West Palm Beach, FL (April 29, 2011) – Jenna Pappalardo, grade 12, Satellite High School, Satellite Beach has been named the winner of the Florida BioGENEius Challenge – c oordinated by BioFlorida and the Biotechnology Institute – and a finalist in the U.S. National BioGENEius Challenge . Ten U.S. national finalists will be selected to join students from Canada and Australia to compete in the International BioGENEius Challenge, which will be held June 27, 2011 at the 2011 Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) International Convention in Washington, D.C.

At the Local (i.e. Florida), U.S. National and International competitions , students are evaluated on the quality of their research and display, as well as on their responses to questions relating to their scientific knowledge and potential commercial applications of their research.

Pappalardo’s project, titled “Meddling with RGS17” seeks to understand the proliferative effects of a gene, RGS17, in lung cancer through a study of its utilized cellular pathways in hopes of providing insight into the abnormalities of lung cancer growth.

Jenna Pappalardo will be the only representative from Florida to compete in the U.S. National BioGENEius Challenge. The Local Florida Challenge was judged by BioFlorida members: Sandro Matosevic, PhD, Chemistry Research Associate, Scripps Research Institute; William Warren, PhD, Vice President, VaxDesign Campus; and Claudia Zylberberg, PhD, CEO, Akron Biotech.

The BioGENEius Challenges are organized by the Biotechnology Institute and sponsored by Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group, a leading global pharmaceutical company, and Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. (J&JPRD), one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies. Additional support for the BioGENEius Challenge is provided by International Sponsors Genentech and Amgen and U.S. National Sponsors Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inspire Pharmaceuticals and Sangamo BioSciences.

“Surveys continue to show that U.S. students lag behind the rest of the world in math and science,” notes Damian Braga, President of Sanofi Pasteur US and Vice President, the Americas.   “Science-based corporations need to do all we can to encourage and support young students’ interest in the sciences, and this competition is one way to do that.”

“There continues to be   immense potential in the future of the biotechnology industry,” says Jay P. Siegel, M.D., Chief Biotechnology Officer and Head, Global Regulatory Affairs, J&JPRD. “As a science-based organization, our goal is to nurture the biotech leaders of tomorrow.”

“ For more than 15 years, the aim of the International BioGENEius Challenge has been to engage, excite and educate students about biotechnology and its immense potential for solving human health, food and environmental problems,” says Tom Wiggans, Chairman of The Biotechnology Institute. “ By highlighting the amazing research of these students, we hope to encourage other students to consider pursuing a career in biotechnology.”  

At the BIO International Convention, the panel of judges will include scientists, researchers, educators and key members of the biotechnology industry and academia. Judges will select the top four winners from 14 U.S. National, Western Australia, and Canada finalists. The first place winner of the BioGENEius Challenge will receive $7,500; second place will receive $5,000; third place will receive $2,500 and fourth place will receive $1,000. Each remaining participant will receive an honorable mention award and $500.

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About BioFlorida

BioFlorida is the voice of Florida’s bioscience industry association, and represents more than 200 member companies and research organizations in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device fields. Operating as a not-for-profit organization, BioFlorida members are involved in biomedical research and development, medical device manufacturing, clinics and hospitals, academia, government and non-profit organizations, and industry services/products. BioFlorida’s leadership and programs positively influence the growth of the industry through networking and initiatives related to capital formation, advocacy, workforce development, education and commercialization of research. In 2010, the BioFlorida Institute was established focused on science education, professional development and providing bioscience industry resources.

About the Biotechnology Institute

The Biotechnology Institute is an independent, national nonprofit organization dedicated to education about the present and future impact of biotechnology. Its mission is to engage, excite and educate the public, particularly students and teachers, about biotechnology and its immense potential for solving human health, food and environmental problems. For more information, visit www.biotechinstitute.org .

About Sanofi Pasteur

About Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. and Janssen
At Janssen we are dedicated to addressing and solving some of the most important unmet medical needs of our time in oncology, immunology, neuroscience, infectious diseases and vaccines, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Driven by our commitment to patients, we develop innovative products, services and healthcare solutions to help people throughout the world. Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. is one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies.