Where my love of science began

Counting the seconds: my friends and I are counting the seconds it took for my solution to kill lice

I have always enjoyed scientific research, for as long as I remember. Like for most kids, it started with a can of slime. In middle school, I felt like my horizon exploded when I was introduced to STEM classes. I loved math so much that I volunteered to be the math tutor for those who asked for help. I would skip lunch just so that I could hold classes. Eventually, my parents received a note from the school that administrators were worried about me not eating. After that, my classes went on, I just had to talk with my mouth full ;-)

In 8th grade, I took psychology, anthropology and biochemistry at the University of Hawaii. to see if I enjoyed this field. I loved it! There was no turning back!

Discovering college labs

The following year, a state STEM coordinator, Ms. Bebi Davis, introduced me to her husband, Dr. Harry Davis and his friend, Dr. Frederik Mercier. From that day forward, I knew that my heart belonged in a science lab. I volunteered to be Dr. Mercier's research assistant. For a year, I visited his lab every Friday, and as many weekends as they allowed.

Dr. Mercier discovered a novel structure--that he named "fractones"--in the brains of Alzheimer-afflicted mice. I had to prepare countless slides with slices of mouse brains from the test- and control groups. I was hugely inspired by his research. As a 13- or 14-year old kid, I was amazed to see that cutting edge science can be developed in my hometown.

I would have enjoyed any type of microbiology research, but this project hit close to home. My grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease right before I had this opportunity. Genetic testing revealed that my mom inherited two of the variants, while I have inherited one of the variants that are closely tied to developing AD. What was interesting and revolutionary before, has turned personal.

ISEF

When our teacher mentioned the call for entry for the International Science & Engineering Fair, I needed no coaxing, I was on board. I just had to come up with a project.

My first thought was investigating my summer drama program experience. I had just spent 7 weeks in a theatre program where we shared costumes, hats, combs, and even pillows as we would watch movies at night. Soon, everyone contracted head lice--with the exception of one person. I was very intrigued by this anomaly, this outlier. I figured that she had used some haircare product that the lice just could not stand. I set out to solve this puzzle.

discovering a novel pediculicidal solution

I took out an ad on Craigslist, offering to pay $1 per louse. Surprisingly, two people responded. Both Alvin Pontes from Waianae and Tasha Chang from Kaneohe became my long-term "suppliers." I purchased different dry shampoos and hair sprays from Longs. Soon, I realized that the products with alcohol killed head lice almost instantly when doused with the product in vitro. The only problem was that dousing a child's hair in vivo presented dangers. I knew I found my main ingredient, I just had to formulate it in a safe way. Again, I turned to studying the ingredients in cosmetics, and contacted a chemical engineer working for makingcosmetics.com. She was happy to guide me in my selections of a few polymers and copolymers. With the help of a heated kitchen mixer, I made batches and batches of my gel, until I found the right consistency for a hair gel that could be applied easily and safely, a gel that was effective and surprisingly affordable. For just $3, I could make a bottle of my product.

testing, testing and more testing

I tested my product by buying more and more lice with every dollar I got for my birthdays or Christmas. I borrowed an incubator from Dr. Stuart Donachie, and hovered over my microscope every evening to see if any nits hatched.

Once I verified the efficacy of my solution, I put it through a battery of tests--dropping it from the balcony of our apartment, leaving it out in the sun, putting it in the washing machine's gentle cycle--in preparation for selling it in stores.

I filed for patent and trademark registration just as Whole Foods Market's regional buyer reached out to me asking to undergo Whole Food's rigorous internal process for product selection.

Giving back

I first started giving away cases of my pediculicide to the Ka'i Program at Iolani School. The Ka'i program works with underserved children in a low-income neighborhood. Every year, I supply the program with my products. As word got out among teachers, more schools requested assistance. Today, I supply 6 schools with my products free of charge to the students or the schools.

The Department of Human Services express interest in working with my to supply their homeless shelters, where head lice is a major problem. I am honored to be considered for this state-wide effort, as the program will reach the people (and particularly children) who most could most benefit from an affordable, safe and effective pediculicide.

Summer's World