A ONE INSTITUTE
Dec 25, 2024
Today, I will post about the importance of scientific research.
When discussing the prerequisites for admission to top-tier universities, I always emphasize scientific research. This post aims to explore ways to prepare for research without conducting experiments.
I often recommend research preparation to high-achieving students. However, scientific research in fields outside of Computer Science usually requires conducting experiments in an actual lab. Such lab-based experiments face limitations related to lab location, the availability of mentors, and access to laboratory facilities, leading to high entry barriers.
During the World Government Summit held in Dubai, NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang was asked what he would study if he returned to college. Jensen Huang replied, "If I were to start over, I would study biology, specifically human biology." He explained that as computers continue to improve autonomously and coding becomes easier through natural language, biology and human biology would be areas of focus.
Pre-med students already have a strong interest in biology, and Jensen Huang’s statement has amplified this interest, given his prominence as one of the most renowned CEOs.
Among scientific research fields, biology is one that typically requires numerous experiments. For those pursuing science research, the first goal should be the ISEF Regional Science Fair.
Categories Related to Biology Among ISEF’s 22 Topics:
Animal Science
Behavioral and Social Balances
Biochemistry
Biomedical and Health Sciences
Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
Microbiology
Plant Sciences
Translational Medical Science
*Fields in Biology That Allow Research Without Experiments: Computational Biology One area within biology that does not require experiments is Computational Biology.
When asking Chat GPT about Computational Biology, it explains that this field leverages computational technology and mathematical models to solve complex biological problems.
For example, in traditional biology experiments studying protein structures, researchers might use animal or human testing. However, Computational Biology focuses on modeling and simulating these structures through Computer Science and mathematics, forming a fusion of Biology and Computer Science.
Bioinformatics Bioinformatics is a subset of Computational Biology that is more closely aligned with statistics. For example, genetic studies often require several generations to observe results, involving significant time and costs for reagents and reactions. In contrast, computational models and simulations can produce results much faster, reducing time and costs while maintaining accuracy.
On the ISEF website, you can view past winners. Let’s analyze one winning project in Computational Biology.
Computational Biology Award-Winning Project: To summarize its contribution, this project proposed using an in-silico drug pipeline to develop treatments for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. In essence, it suggested developing a drug pipeline through Computational Biology. As this example demonstrates, the level of ISEF participants often exceeds typical high school standards.
There are numerous software tools for simulation, and the included image provides examples of relevant programs and websites for reference.
Google’s DeepMind developed AlphaFold, a tool for studying protein folding. By accessing AlphaFold, users can examine Prion Proteins. These proteins demonstrate how normal folding (Alpha Helix) and abnormal folding (Beta Sheet Form) can be visualized.
AlphaFold allows you to observe 3D structures and spatial arrangements, making it easier to understand protein structures. Although the programs and websites I mentioned can help predict reactions, starting from scratch can be challenging without assistance. With proper guidance, these programs can be utilized more effectively.
ISEF also provides guidelines: The rules for Regional Science Fairs are consistent, emphasizing the need to enlist supervisory adults. The first step is seeking help from supervisory adults with appropriate qualifications.
Qualified Support Adults Are Categorized Into Two Groups:
Qualified Scientist
Direct Supervisor The ISEF website explicitly states that supervisors may live elsewhere and do not need to be local to the student. This means remote supervision is acceptable, reducing entry barriers to Biology research.
As mentioned earlier, categories like Computational Biology allow modeling and simulations without the need for laboratories, making Biology-related research more accessible.
At A-One Institute, we are not a consulting firm but an academic institution composed of highly skilled instructors. We recommend conducting science research with the assistance of our qualified and talented instructors.
Below is an excerpt from a paper by one of our A-One Institute instructors.
Published as the first author in the journal Nature, it demonstrates results obtained through Computational Biology simulations.
For those interested in Biology research but concerned about high entry barriers, we hope today’s post has been helpful.
Visit our SAT Practice Test platform at www.ett-test.com.
Today, we introduced ways to conduct scientific research without experiments. For any questions, please contact A-One Institute, where we have qualified scientists. Thank you.