Senior, University School
After each of his freshman, sophomore and junior years at University School, Lane enrolled in summer school. But he wasn’t repeating work he missed during the year. He was spending eight hours a day at Case Western Reserve University doing cancer research as part of the Anderson Scholars Program. His research, which focuses on how chemotherapy initiates the immune response, won the Ohio Junior Science and Humanities Symposium at Bowling Green State University last year and earned him a spot representing Ohio in the national symposium in Dayton. Speed bumps: Lane’s research took a turn after his freshman year when his hypothesis failed. He believed cells had a component that could prevent the release of adenosine triphosphate — the main energy source for all sorts of normal cell activity and primary signaling molecule for anti-tumor response. “When research doesn’t work,” he says, “I’m more excited about my next hypothesis.” The setback helped Lane understand there might be an opportunity to slow down the proteins responsible for breaking down adenosine triphosphate and inhibiting the anti-tumor immune response. Favorite scientist: Although Lane has always been interested in science, it was one book in particular that really kicked him into the research realm. Letters to a Young Scientist by Edward O. Wilson is a series of letters about his journey in science, including his research of ants and their behavioral patterns. “It was really informative and inspirational because he accomplished a lot,” Lane explains. “But he was really humble in his work.” Swim fan: Lane’s been swimming since age 7 and is the captain on the Preppers swim team, where he competes in disciplines such as the 100-yard backstroke. “It’s OK to compete and try to be the best,” he says. “But the people next to you are your comrades. You have to be respectful to them and the sport.” Phone lines: Lane enjoys his smartphone as much as the next teen, but he often wonders about how different human interaction is now than it used to be. “It’s less connected,” he says. The scientist in him wants run an experiment in communication. “I would like to test and see if my conversations really get deeper.”
