the-BA : ISEF 2005

When Gurjit Singh Sidhu touches down at Phoenix airport, Arizona, he will be carrying with him the hopes of the UK as he represents our top young scientists at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).

Gurjit was awarded a place at the fair, which runs from 9-13 May, after impressing judges at the BA CREST Science Fair in London back in February with his project testing equipment to measure the dose of radiation that cancer cells received during radiotherapy.

‘I’m really excited about going to Phoenix for the Intel ISEF,’ says Gurjit, 17. ‘I enjoyed carrying out my project in the Radiotherapy Department and couldn’t believe it when I found out I had won this trip to Phoenix. As well as the competition itself, I am looking forward to the tours which are provided such as a day to the Grand Canyon, and mountain biking in the Arizona desert.’

Sir Roland Jackson, Chief Executive of the BA, which coordinates the BA CREST Science Fair, says: ‘Gurjit’s exceptional scientific skills and ability to explain clearly the science behind his project, coupled with his friendly personality, make him the perfect role model for young scientists everywhere. We have high hopes that his success will be repeated in this international science fair.’

Gurjit carried out his original project in the Radiotherapy Department at Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee.

'When patients undergo radiotherapy, there is currently no way of verifying the dose that they receive other than relying on the x-ray machine,' explains Gurjit. 'By placing diodes at the surface of the skin above the tumour, it’s possible to calculate the dose that the cancer cells receive.'

Diodes are not currently in use in hospitals, and for the NHS to take on new technology it must be rigorously tested. It was this testing that Gurjit was involved in.

'Diodes were first used about fifteen years ago, but were scrapped because they were of such poor quality,' says Gurjit. 'As diodes have improved, the team at Ninewells were keen to look into using this method again.'

Inviting Gurjit to test the diodes as a research project, the Head of the Radiotherapy Dept at Ninewells, John Parry, told him that he would be the first person in Ninewells to be doing this research since those first abortive attempts fifteen years ago.

'The results look very promising,' Gurjit says. 'I was told that the project was actually MSc level and Ninewells would set MSc students the task of following up on these trials.'

The BA CREST Science Fair was held at the Royal Society, London, on 28 February, and showcased science and technology projects from students aged 11-18 across the UK.

Exclusive: lead Gurjit's web diary here!

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