Sixteen-year-old Tina Chou, a junior at Brookline (MA) High School, will give a poster presentation describing the effects of various inorganic elements in engineering new bone and bone tissue, to repair defects in bone.

These students are no strangers to the lab. According to Tina, "I've always been interested in dental research, but it has only been recently that I've taken those interests further. Growing up, I've always been surrounded by medical and dental influences. A few years ago, my sister Sophia completed some research, and I realized that I had the opportunity to do research of my own.

"Currently, I'm taking all Honors classes (US History, American Eras English, Spanish, Math, Chemistry). Next year, I'm planning on taking Advanced Biology, AP Calculus, Contemporary American History Honors, Spanish Honors, and European Literature. I did research at a lab facility at Boston University's School of Dental Medicine, supervised by my father, during the summer and on weekends. My family is very supportive and encourages my interest in dental research. My friends aren't especially interested in dentistry, though!"

Tina doesn't spend all her spare time in a lab. "I'm the features editor of our school newspaper," she says, "and I've been volunteering at Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Hospital in the Gerontology Department for the last two years. And I enjoy reading books by Kurt Vonnegut." Tina plans to attend Boston University and hopes to become an orthodontist. "I will most likely open a clinic in Los Angeles and possibly an additional one in Shanghai, China," she adds. "I enjoy listening to alternative, industrial, and progressive rock music. I consider music an impor
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Contact: Linda Hemphill
linda@iadr.org
International & American Association for Dental Research
2-Mar-2004