Stuyvesant High junior to watch his premature aging experiment launch into space as NASA contest winner – New York Daily News

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Saturday, March 25, 2017, 4:06 PM

This city students big dream is headed to the stars.

Stuyvesant High School junior Julian Rubinfien will soon travel to Cape Canaveral to see NASA launch his award-winning high school genetic experiment into space.

Julian, 16, created his ambitious experiment to measure genes in space as a way to better understand human aging with the help of his biology teacher, winning NASAs national Genes in Space contest in June.

Its heady stuff for any young researcher.

NASA discovers 7 Earth-sized planets that could support life

But Julian, who lives in lower Manhattan and wants to be a research scientist when he finishes school, takes a big-picture view of his cutting-edge academic work.

The fact that its possible for me as a high school student to have my experiment preformed up there is incredible, said Julian, who maintains a straight-A average and likes to sail and box in his free time.

Rubinfeld holds PCR product (l.) and the thermal cycler used in his experiment.

If youre lucky enough as a scientist, you can reach out and become part of something thats greater than yourself, he added.

Julians award-winning study will send DNA strands to the International Space Station, where they will be measured for shrinkage in an effort to link the shortening of DNA strands to the phenomenon of premature aging experienced by astronauts in space.

Stuyvesant student earns scholarship through theater program

The experiment was initially scheduled to launch Monday from Floridas Kennedy Space Center and travel via rocket to the International Space Station, where the experiment will be performed. But the launch was delayed after a problem was discovered with one of the rockets boosters. The blastoff will be rescheduled as soon as possible.

Julians freshman biology teacher Jessica Quenzer, who helped him conceptualize the experiment, will also travel to Kennedy Space Center for the launch.

She said Julians curiosity and ambition make him an exceptional student.

Even from the very beginning he had a spark, Quenzer said. I could tell he would learn because he was very inquisitive and had big ideas.

Hidden Figures stars honor Katherine Johnson on Oscars stage

Genes in Space contest organizer Sebastian Kraves said Julians experiment beat out more than 300 submissions from students across the country because it explores the compelling topic of rapid aging in zero gravity.

Julian is the second winner, both from New York, of the contest that's now in its third year. The first was a student from Bedford, N.Y., whose experiment sent zebrafish DNA to space to study gene replication in April.

Accelerated aging is one of the things we worry about when we travel to space, said Kraves, a co-founder of the genetic testing company miniPCR, which is a sponsor of the contest.

Signs of accelerated aging include decreased bone mass, slowing cardiovascular functioning and weakening of the immune system.

Julian is studying a very interesting problem, Kraves said.

More here:
Stuyvesant High junior to watch his premature aging experiment launch into space as NASA contest winner - New York Daily News