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Fellows Scholarship - Past Fellows - 2018 Davidson Fellows

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Davey Huang

$10,000 Scholarship Recipient

Age: 17
Honolulu, HI
Category: Science
Project Title: A Noninvasive Morphokinetic Model For Aneuploidy Screening of Human Preimplantation Embryos

My interdisciplinary research focuses on using non-invasive observations of human embryo biology and machine learning algorithms to create a model for predicting genetic abnormalities in human preimplantation embryos. My research has applications in the field of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Using my model, IVF clinics may be able to easily screen for aneuploid embryos before implantation, leading to higher success rates, lower multiple pregnancy rates, and significantly reduced medical costs.

Biography

David (“Davey”) Huang is a 17-year- old senior at ‘Iolani School from Honolulu, Hawaii. He is incredibly honored and inspired to be a Davidson Fellow.  The Davidson Fellow scholarship will be put towards his education and has motivated him to continue his work in scientific research.

Through his interdisciplinary research, Davey developed a simple, non-invasive, inexpensive, and accurate screening model for genetic abnormalities in human preimplantation embryos. He discovered new markers for aneuploidy using microscopic time-lapse imaging of in vitro developing embryos. Using these new understandings, he developed a machine learning algorithm for aneuploidy screening, which predicted embryo aneuploidy with high discriminative capabilities on a blind testing set and offered improvements over current state-of-the-art screening models.

Davey’s screening model has applications in the field of in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF is the primary treatment option for over 186 million couples who are unable to attain a successful pregnancy. IVF involves a complex series of clinical and laboratory procedures with the goal of conceiving a healthy child for infertile couples. However, the high frequency of chromosomal abnormalities, or aneuploidies, affecting the multiple embryos retrieved for this procedure is a primary challenge for IVF. Implantation of an aneuploid embryo leads to either the death of the embryo or fetus (a failed treatment cycle) or a genetically diseased baby, incurring substantial medical and financial costs. Current aneuploidy screening methods aim to prevent these outcomes, yet are highly invasive and expensive, which make them impractical for routine clinical implementation. Therefore, Davey’s improved aneuploidy screening model could be adopted by IVF laboratories to improve clinical treatment and reduce costs.

Davey hopes to pursue a career in biological or biomedical research with an interdisciplinary focus. He is especially excited by the biological applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Davey truly enjoys the research process and has been fortunate to receive recognition for his work.  He received 1 st  Place and Best of Category awards at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. He has also presented his work at national and international conferences. Davey captains his school’s Science Bowl and Science Olympiad teams and has received top state and national awards.

Aside from his strong interest in science, Davey plays on his school’s state champion tennis team and enjoys painting and playing the piano in his spare time.


Q&A

Do you collect anything?
I used to collect magic tricks. Guess a number... ...is it 5?

If you had a warning label, what would yours say?
Take with food.

If you could have dinner with the five most interesting people in the world, living or dead, who would they be?
Richard Feynman, Elon Musk, Stephen Colbert, Roger Federer, The Rock

Media


In the News
9/12/17 - The Society For Science & The Public: Ten Tips From Davidson Fellows on How to Be Successful in STEM

HONOLULU TEEN AWARDED $10,000 FOR RESEARCH IN EMBRYOLOGY

David “Davey” Huang to be Named a 2017 Davidson Fellow

Reno, Nev. – The Davidson Institute of Talent Development has announced the 2017 Davidson Fellows. Among the honorees is 17-year- old Davey Huang of Honolulu. Huang won a $10,000 Davidson Fellows Scholarship for his project, A Noninvasive Model For Aneuploidy Screening In Human Preimplantation Embryos. He is one of only 20 students across the country to receive this honor.

“I am incredibly honored and inspired to be a Davidson Fellow,” said Huang. “The Davidson Fellow Scholarship will be put towards my education and has motivated me to continue my work in scientific research.” 

Huang’s research focuses on using non-invasive observations of human embryo biology and machine learning algorithms to create a model for predicting genetic abnormalities in human preimplantation embryos. His research has applications in the field of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Using his model, IVF clinics may be able to easily screen for aneuploidy embryos before implantation, leading to higher success rates, lower multiple pregnancy rates, and significantly reduced medical costs.

Photos

Click the links below to see hi-res photos of Davey:

     
Mission

Started in 1999, the Davidson Institute for Talent Development is a 501(c)3 private operating foundation. Our mission is to recognize, nurture and support profoundly intelligent young people ages 18 and under, and to provide opportunities for them to develop their talents to make a positive difference. Profoundly gifted students are those who score in the 99.9th percentile on IQ and achievement tests. Read more about this population in this article.

E-mail:
info@davidsongifted.org
Location:
Reno, Nevada