Arbor Assays is committed to nurturing scientific curiosity, especially among young researchers. Recently, we collaborated with Lan Anh Nguyen, an 11th-grade student at Westminster High School in California. Lan Anh and her team embarked on a project exploring hormonal changes in Zebrafish under environmental stress, focusing on cortisol as the primary stress hormone.
Lan Anh’s team wanted to delve into stress response mechanisms, hoping to conduct a project titled “Testing Ability of Zebrafish to Differentiate Between Different Levels of Water Flow Using Cortisol Release.” Led by Lan Anh, Jim Le, Tiana Tran, and mentor Huy Pham, this project aimed to understand how varying water flow levels impact Zebrafish stress levels.
Recognizing the financial challenges students face, Arbor Assays supported Lan Anh’s project by donating our DetectX® Cortisol ELISA Kit. This kit is essential for accurately measuring cortisol levels, making it a valuable asset for stress-related research projects.
Utilizing Arbor Assays’ kit, the team analyzed cortisol levels in aquarium water samples, providing insights into stress responses under different water flow conditions. Although they didn’t find a significant correlation between water flow and cortisol release, their dedication to scientific rigor and innovation was evident.
Congratulations to Lan Anh Nguyen, Jim Le, Tiana Tran, and mentor Huy Pham for their contributions to the scientific community and achieving an Honorable Mention in the Orange Country Science & Engineering Fair (OCSEF)! The group’s project also was one of the finalists for winning the Orange County/Long Beach Chapter of the American Statistical Association (OCLA ASA) statistics special award. Arbor Assays looks forward to continuing to empower young scientists and championing scientific exploration. Stay tuned for more inspiring stories and collaborations as Arbor Assays continues to lead in stress research support.