2026 Frontenac Lennox and Addington Science Fair (FLASF) Special Award: Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine
The awards were given for “Best projects related to the body's response to disease or tissue damage”
1st: Maya Thakrar: 2409 Understanding and modelling arterial plaque build up
2nd: Kahvian Omrani: 3401 Neurosense: saliva-based seizure risk prediction
3rd: Mariam Sultan: 2481 Breast cancer awareness
Maya built a physical model using tubing and modeling clay and showed changes in flow rate in response to different levels of vessel obstruction as a model to give more awareness regarding atherosclerosis. As part of her project, she ran multiple trials at different levels of occlusion, and reported the change in flow rate and type of flow of water through her model system. Maya accurately described the development of atherosclerosis and stenosis as well as the early observed developments of plaques in young people.
Kahvian researched epilepsy and biomarkers that would be part of a rapid saliva test to give these patients the ability to predict seizures, allowing them time to get assistance and avoid high risk activities. He researched biomarkers that would best predict the onset of seizures and built a prototype of a possible testing device with the selected biomarkers.
Mariam built a 3D printed model of a breast to provide awareness and training for individuals to do breast self exams. Mariam explained her design process as well as future directions in using training models for self exams. She had a pre- and post-training survey, which she used with a number of volunteers as part of her project. She also educated those visiting the FLASF exhibits to promote breast self exams and general breast cancer awareness.