STUDENTS & SCIENTISTS BREAST CANCER/ ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH PROGRAM
One of the programs that we are proud to present and founded in 2005 is our Students & Scientists Breast Cancer / Environment Research Program. We have sponsored over 65 high school students from Nassau County at 10 different labs that we have partnered with in the Northeast. The focus of their research is environmental links to breast cancer and breast cancer prevention, while they also learn to work with sophisticated equipment in a state of the art laboratory.
Student Essays & Presentations
- Melody Song 2022
- Myra Saeed 2022
- Eric Sodhi 2022
- Nikki Jiang 2022
- Chloe 2021
- Gabriella Aordkian 2021
- Alexander Voses 2021
- Amanda Shi 2021
- Andria Chen 2021
- Isabel Wang 2021
- Alexander Voses 2020
- Isabel Wang 2020
- Elizabeth James 2020
- Romesha Khan 2020
- Seher Saleem 2020
- Karina Thomas 2020
- Raymond Lin – 2019 | Presentation 2019
- Timothy Liu 2019
- Seungju Park 2019 Presentation 2019
- Rebecca Lo 2019 | Presentation 2019
- Seher Saleem 2019
- Isobelle Lim 2018
- Amanda Shirazi 2018
- Ethan Abizadeh 2018
- Raymond Lin – 2018
- Amrita Shah – 2017
- Zainab Mian – 2017
- Sayo Ogunleye – 2017
- Ophir Sabah – 2017
- Haley Klein – 2017
- Aaron Abizadeh – 2017
- Mahnoor Ali – 2017
- Isabelle Sarraf – 2017
- Noah Ahmed – 2017
- Stacy Okin – 2016
- Kayla Lieb – 2016
- Adrian-James Gevero – 2016
- Elan Itschakov – 2016
- Dorothy Liu – 2016
- Mohammad Samroz – 2016
- Sayo Ogunleye – 2016
- Selena Thomas – 2015
- Kiana Kerr – 2015
- Shaheer Khan – 2015
- Jasmine Wong – 2015
- Sidney Saint-Hilaire – 2015
- Michael Shen – 2015
- Sunny Shi – 2015
- Ailin Elyasi – 2015
- Isabelle Sehati – 2015
- Jacob Rigos – 2014
- Robin Shum – 2014
- Michael Shen – 2014
- Sunny Shi – 2014
- Nicole Lalezarzadeh – 2014
- Sandra Glotzer – 2014
- Andreas Pavlou – 2014
- Kaeli Groenert – 2013
- Christine Lee – 2013
- Sammy Hijazi – 2013
- Justin Baroukhian – 2013
- Lawrence Lin – 2013
- Prasanth Kurup – 2013
- Ashtyn Greenstein – 2012
- Elena Katan – 2012
- Katherine Lee – 2012
- Sylvie Rubin-Budick– 2012
- Lawrence Lin – 2012
- Prasanth Kurup– 2012
- John Yang – 2012
- Sean Liu – 2012
- Rick Mathews – 2012
- Yonatan David – 2011
- Catherine Wang – 2011
- Vita Jaspan – 2011
- John Yang – 2011
- Eugene Park – 2010
- Zoe Schacht-Levine – 2009
- Regina Roofeh – 2008
- Karolina Woroniecka – 2008
- Jonathan Salm – 2007
- Heidi Park – 2007
- Sofie Einbinder – 2006
- Monika Lalezarzadeh – 2006
- Karen Brachot – 2005
- Leah Goldman 2005
PARTICIPATING LABS
We are grateful to be working with these prestigious participating labs:
2020: Columbia University, Mary Beth Terry, PhD, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, Laura Vandenberg, Ph.D
2019: Columbia University, Mary Beth Terry, PhD, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Richard Gross, PhD, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, Laura Vandenberg, Ph.D.
2018: Columbia University, Mary Beth Terry, PhD, Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Richard Gross, PhD, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, Laura Vandenberg, Ph.D.
2017: Research facilities and Principal Investigators are: Tufts University School of Medicine, Soto/Sonnenschein Laboratory, Columbia University, Mary Beth Terry, PhD, Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Richard Gross, PhD, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, Laura Vandenberg, Ph.D.
2016: Research facilities and Principal Investigators are: Columbia University, Mary Beth Terry, PhD, Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Richard Gross, PhD, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, Laura Vandenberg, Ph.D.
2015: Soto/Sonnenschein Laboratory at Tufts University School of Medicine, Laura Vandenberg, Ph.D Laboratory at University of Massachusetts/Amherst, Richard Gross, Ph.D Laboratory at Rensselaer Polytech Institute (RPI)
2014: Soto/Sonnenschein Laboratory at Tufts University School of Medicine, Yong Zhu, Ph.D. Laboratory at Yale University School of Public Health, Richard Gross, Ph.D Laboratory at Rensselaer Polytech Institute
2013: Tufts University School of Medicine :Soto/Sonnenschein Laboratory, Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, NYU Polytech, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI): Dr. Richard Gross Laboratory
2012: Tufts University School of Medicine: Soto/Sonnenschein Laboratory, Stony Brook University: Dr. Sitharaman Laboratory,Yale University School of Public Health: Dr. Yong Zu Laboratory, N.Y.U. Poly Tech: Dr. Richard Gross Laboratory, Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry
2011: Tufts University School of Medicine: Soto/Sonnenschein Laboratory, Stony Brook University: Dr. Sitharaman Laboratory, Fox Chase Cancer Center: Dr. Jose and Irma Russo Laboratory, Silent Spring Institute
2010: Tufts University School of Medicine: Soto/Sonnenschein Laboratory
2009: Silent Spring Institute
2008: Tufts University School of Medicine: Soto/Sonnenschein Laboratory
2007: Tufts University School of Medicine: Soto/Sonnenschein Laboratory
2006: Tufts University School of Medicine: Soto /Sonnenschein Laboratory
2005: Tufts University School of Medicine: Soto/Sonnenschein Laboratory
FALL 2019
GNBCC President, Laura Weinberg, and Vice President, Lisa Levine attended the federally-funded, Breast Cancer & Environment Research Program Conference in Atlanta, Georgia in November 2019. Dozens of national researchers presented their findings on toxins linked with breast cancer such as: Oxybenzone found in sunscreen, PBDE flame retardants found in furniture upholstery, PFAs found in non-stick cookware, lining of pizza boxes, microwave popcorn bags, dental floss, BPA/BPS found in food can lining, plastic #7 and thermal cash receipts, Cadmium, found in costume jewelry, PAHs found in automobile exhaust, charbroiled foods. Exposure to these toxins during Windows of Susceptbility (WOS) increase the risk of breast cancer: Pre-natal, Puberty, and onset of Menopause WOS. Our two sponsored research students, Raymond Lin and Timothy Liu, joined us as they received the honor of presenting posters of their summer research at the conference. Congratulations to our student, Raymond Lin, who was awarded the Conference’s ‘Best Emerging Scholar Poster’!!
(view additional pictures in photo gallery)
SUMMER 2019
Great Neck Breast Cancer Coalition
Students & Scientists Breast Cancer/Environment Research Program, Summer 2019
Moderators: Laura Weinberg, President, Lisa Levine, Vice President
Student Presentations:
- Seungju Park, Rebecca Lo: Explored the effect of Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) exposure on the mouse mammary gland. Laura Vandenberg Laboratory at UMASS/Amherst
- Timothy Liu: Assisted in developing a safer polymer to be used for soft tissue engineering for the reconstruction of breast tissue after mastectomy. Richard Gross Laboratory at RPI
- Seher Saleem: Focused on chemicals found in cosmetics and cleaning products which may increase breast cancer risk among a cohort of women and their daughters. Seher also assisted in creating an educational video for the daughters of the cohort about different types of ingredients found in consumer products and their impact on health. Mary Beth Terry Research Center at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
- Raymond Lin: Developed non-toxic food packaging which eliminates toxins linked to breast cancer. Richard Gross Laboratory at RPI
- Karen Glaser: Guest Alumni Student Speaker & GNBCC Board Member. Soto/Sonnenschein Laboratory at Tufts University School of Medicine, Summer 2005
Karen Glaser (left) Our first student from 2005 at the Soto/Sonneschein Lab at Tufts University School of Medicine discussed what the research program meant to her.
Rebecca Lo and Stella Park (right)
2019 students receive citations from NYS Senator Anna Kaplan, Nassau County Legislator Ellen Birnbaum, Town of North Hempstead Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey. The students also received citations from NYS Assemblyman Anthony D’Urso.
Students pictured are Rebecca Lo, Stella Park, Timothy Liu, Seher Saleem and Raymond Lin.
GNBCC travels with high school students to the Breast Cancer Environment Research Program Conference (BCERP) in Monrovia, California (left to right) Amrita Shah, Sayo Ogunleye, Lisa Levine, Laura Weinberg, Zainab Mian
Lisa Levine and Laura Weinberg display a poster at the conference on GNBCC’s Students and Scientists Breast Cancer/Environment Research Program
Sayo Ogunleye displays a poster on the benefits of Vitamin D
Zainab Mian, Amrita Shah (GNBCC), Subhana Zafar (of HBCAC) proudly present posters of their summer research as Karen Miller (HBCAC) and Laura Weinberg join them
Zainab Mian, Amrita Shah at their poster on Mammary Gland and Disease with their research mentor, Laura Vandenberg, Ph.D of the University of Massachusetts/Amherst.
GNBCC Launches its 2017 Students & Scientists Breast Cancer/Environment Research Program, in its 13th year!: Nine students from three high schools researching at four Northeastern research facilities:
- Dr. Mary Beth Terry at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
- Soto/Sonnenschein Lab at Tufts University School of Medicine
- Dr. Laura Vandenberg at University of Massachussets/Amherst
- Dr. Richard Gross at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).
Congrats to our 2017 student research trainees!
- Amrita Shah, Zainab Mian,Noah Ahmed, Sayo Ogunleye, Mahnoor Ali
(Sewanhaka H.S.) - Haley Klein, Ophir Sabah, Aaron Abizadeh
(North Shore Hebrew Academy High School) - Isabelle Saraf (Great Neck North High School)
Congratulations to GNBCC’s 2015 summer student research trainees!
(left to right, top row): Shaheer Kahan, Sydney Saint-Hillaire, Selena Thomas (Sewanhaka H.S.) Sunny Shi, Michael Shen (Great Neck South H.S.)
(left to right, bottom row): Kiana Kerr (Sewanhaka H.S.), Ailin Elyasi, Isabelle Sehati, Jasmine Wong (Great Neck North H.S.)
Shaheer, Sydney, Sunny, Jasmine and Michael are currently researching at Rensselaer Poly Tech Institute, Green Chemistry laboratory of Dr. Richard Gross
Kiana and Selena are researching at Dr. Laura Vandenberg’s laboratory at UMASS/Amherst
Isabelle and Ailin are researching at the Soto/Sonneschein Laboratory at Tufts University School of Medicine
Congrats to GNBCC’s 2014 Students!
Sunny Shi, Michael Shen, Robin Shum: Rensselaer PolyTech Institute, Richard Gross, Ph.D Laboratory Andreas Pavlou, Jacob Rigos: Yale University School of Public Health, Yong Zhu, Ph.D Laboratory Nicole Lalezarzadeh, Sandra Glotzer: Tufts University School of Medicine, Soto/Sonnenschein Laboratory
(top row, left to right): Sunny Shi, Michael Shen, Andreas Pavlou, Jacob Rigos.
(bottom row): Laura Weinberg,GNBCC, Robin Shum, Nicole Lalezarzadeh, Sandra Glotzer, and Lisa Levine, GNBCC
Summer 2014 student research trainees at the Soto/Sonnenschein Laboratory: Nicole Lalezarzadeh and Sandra Glotzer present on breast cancer and the Environment.
(left to right): Ana Soto, M.D., Cheryl Shaeberle, Sandra Glotzer, Nicole Lalezarzadeh, Carolos Sonnenschein, M.D., Laura Weinberg, GNBCC
Students Attend Health Conference
Breast Cancer prevention was the goal when the Great Neck Breast Cancer Coalition (GNBCC) created its Students & Scientists Breast Cancer/Environment Research Program nine years ago. Local high school students researching at laboratories addressing breast cancer causation and environmental links to breast cancer.
….FULL STORY