Soha Ghanian is a high school senior at Horizon Community Learning Center in Ahwatukee Foothills. She is one of only three semifinalists representing the state of Arizona in the natural and international Siemens Science Competition. Her winning project involved using neural stem cells to treat EAE, an animal model of multiple sclerosis in transgenic mice.
Ghanian’s involvement with medical research began during her sophomore year at Horizon Honors when she was nominated to participate in a selective research program for high school students at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. After a rigorous application and interview process, Ghanian was selected among a pool of applicants to work in the Neuroimmunology Laboratory, directed by Dr. Fu-Dong Shi. Every week, since her sophomore year, medical scientists and medical doctors in the laboratory have invested their time in training high school students and Ghanian to become a future scientist and physician.
Ghanian’s past achievements in this field include winning a second place medal in the medical sciences category in the 2011 Arizona Science and Engineering Fair.
• Beverly Stidham, (480) 898-7924 or bstidham@ahwatukee.com
