Michael Li, Senior at Bennett High School in Wicomico County, developed a mathematical formula that could be a key component in treating Alzheimer’s disease.
Michael spent 8 weeks researching at Stony Brook University in New York last summer. He developed a generalized linear model to study neural coding during sensorimotor decision-making. After completing the 8 week program, Michael was recognized as an Intel Science Talent Search Finalist.
“So I basically, in my project, I used a mathematical model, a statistical model, to kind of see what types of factors were effecting neural response in the posterior parietal cortex of the brain – the area of the brain that’s really important for decision making,” Michael says.
The goal of Michael’s research is to see how a healthy brain works.
“Eventually, in the future, maybe we can compare how a healthy brain works to how a brain afflicted with certain diseases works and see what exactly malfunctions in an unhealthy brain,” Michael says.
Michael is doing his part to help make a difference.
“I just really had a passion for something. It was something I was really interested in,” Michael says. “You are capable of so much more than you think you are. By pursuing what you are interested in and finding all sorts of ways to achieve the things you want to achieve, and learn the things you want to learn, you can do anything.”
Michael is presenting his research at the Intel Science Talent Search in Washington D.C. this weekend.
