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Many listmates have asked for more information on Stephanie's project.

Stephanie McNamara of North Attleboro High School won a 1st PLACE prize in the Massachusetts Region III Science Fair SENIOR DIVISION for:
Celiac Disease: Identification of the Proteolytic Enzyme Responsible for the Formation of the Intestinal Inflammatory Trigger

Stephanie will be competing in the 2004 Massachusetts State Science Fair on April 30 & May 1 at the MIT Campus in Cambridge.

Stephanie's parents have been kind enough to provide a copy of the abstract (see below) and a photo of her in front of her project after the awards ceremony.

Stephanie's sister has Celiac, and we should all be pleased to learn of this young scientist's ambition to find a cure.

“Celiac Disease: Identification of the Proteolytic Enzyme
Responsible for the Formation of the
Intestinal Inflammatory Trigger”

The only known therapy for Celiac Disease is a strict
adherence to a gluten-free diet. Since this eliminates many food
choices for Celiacs, I focused my research on trying to find a way to
destroy the amino acid fragment thought responsible for the intestinal
inflammation, before it reached the small intestine. Since Celiac
Disease affects three members of my family, I am interested in
finding them an alternative to a lifelong gluten-free diet.

This experiment was performed in order to identify the
responsible protease that is accountable for shaping the destructive
triggering agent of Celiac Disease. Two digestive proteases, secreted
in the stomach and small intestine respectively, were chosen due to
their proven ability to digest dietary proteins, and to prepare them for
absorption in the small intestine. After researching a variety of
enzymes that break down proteins, I used the enzymes pepsin and
trypsin for this experiment.

The protein gliaden was digested by the two enzymes separately and in
combination. After these digests were completed, a Bio Rad Protein Assay was
performed and each of the samples was subjected to gel electrophoresis. Results from the
protein gels identified a protein fragment in the pepsin digest that matched the molecular
weight of the 33-long amino acid fragment trigger. Altering the peptide fragment may
inhibit intestinal inflammation in patients with Celiac Disease.

© 2004 Stephanie McNamara

In case the attachment is not accessible from the list-serve,
send me an e-mail for a pdf copy of the abstract and photo.

*Please provide references to back up claims of a product being GF or not GF*