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

Students Essays & Presentations

  1. Melody Song 2022
  2. Myra Saeed 2022
  3. Eric Sodhi 2022
  4. Nikki Jiang 2022
  5. Chloe 2021
  6. Gabriella Aordkian 2021
  7. Alexander Voses 2021
  8. Amanda Shi 2021
  9. Andria Chen 2021
  10. Isabel Wang 2021
  11. Alexander Voses 2020
  12. Isabel Wang 2020
  13. Elizabeth James 2020
  14. Romesha Khan 2020
  15. Seher Saleem 2020
  16. Karina Thomas 2020
  17. Raymond Lin – 2019 | Presentation 2019
  18. Timothy Liu 2019
  19. Seungju Park 2019 Presentation 2019
  20. Rebecca Lo 2019 | Presentation 2019
  21. Seher Saleem 2019
  22. Isobelle Lim 2018
  23. Amanda Shirazi 2018
  24. Ethan Abizadeh 2018
  25. Raymond Lin – 2018
  26. Amrita Shah – 2017
  27. Zainab Mian – 2017
  28. Sayo Ogunleye – 2017
  29. Ophir Sabah – 2017
  30. Haley Klein – 2017
  31. Aaron Abizadeh – 2017
  32. Mahnoor Ali – 2017
  33. Isabelle Sarraf – 2017
  34. Noah Ahmed – 2017
  35. Stacy Okin – 2016
  36. Kayla Lieb – 2016
  37. Adrian-James Gevero – 2016
  38. Elan Itschakov – 2016
  39. Dorothy Liu – 2016
  40. Mohammad Samroz – 2016
  41. Sayo Ogunleye – 2016
  42. Selena Thomas – 2015
  43. Kiana Kerr – 2015
  44. Shaheer Khan – 2015
  45. Jasmine Wong – 2015
  46. Sidney Saint-Hilaire – 2015
  47. Michael Shen – 2015
  48. Sunny Shi – 2015
  49. Ailin Elyasi – 2015
  50. Isabelle Sehati – 2015
  51. Jacob Rigos – 2014
  52. Robin Shum – 2014
  53. Michael Shen – 2014
  54. Sunny Shi – 2014
  55. Nicole Lalezarzadeh – 2014
  56. Sandra Glotzer – 2014
  57. Andreas Pavlou – 2014
  58. Kaeli Groenert – 2013
  59. Christine Lee – 2013
  60. Sammy Hijazi – 2013
  61. Justin Baroukhian – 2013
  62. Lawrence Lin – 2013
  63. Prasanth Kurup – 2013
  64. Ashtyn Greenstein – 2012
  65. Elena Katan – 2012
  66. Katherine Lee – 2012
  67. Sylvie Rubin-Budick– 2012
  68. Lawrence Lin – 2012
  69. Prasanth Kurup– 2012
  70. John Yang – 2012
  71. Sean Liu – 2012
  72. Rick Mathews – 2012
  73. Yonatan David – 2011
  74. Catherine Wang – 2011
  75. Vita Jaspan – 2011
  76. John Yang – 2011
  77. Eugene Park – 2010
  78. Zoe Schacht-Levine – 2009
  79. Regina Roofeh – 2008
  80. Karolina Woroniecka – 2008
  81. Jonathan Salm – 2007
  82. Heidi Park – 2007
  83. Sofie Einbinder – 2006
  84. Monika Lalezarzadeh – 2006
  85. Karen Brachot – 2005
  86. 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

Student's News & Events

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

Click here to view gallery

To start your own Students and Scientists program visit our blueprint page

VIEW OUR GALLERY