2007 Runners Up Essays

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Priya, Corona del Sol High School, Tempe, AZ
Catheryn, Desert Mountain High School, Scottsdale, AZ
Allison, Canyon del Oro High School, Oro Valley, AZ
Hannah, Canyon del Oro High School, Oro Valley, AZ
Bryna, Los Alamitos Middle School,  Grants, NM

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Animals in the Fight Against Asthma
by Priya, Corona del Sol High School, Tempe, AZ

Asthma is a disease very near to my heart, very literally. This is because not only do I have asthma, but my younger sister and my best friend do too. Luckily, my sister and I have relatively mild forms of asthma, but my best friend, Melissa, has asthma that is much more severe.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the airways (the tubes that carry air in the lungs). The inside walls of the airways become inflamed and this inflammation makes the airways very sensitive, so they tend to react strongly to irritants. When the airways react, they get narrower, and less air flows through the airways to the lung tissue. This causes shortage of breath, wheezing, tightness in the chest, and coughing. These symptoms can usually be alleviated by treatment, but they can be extremely severe and sometimes fatal.

No one would ever believe that Melissa has asthma. She runs both cross country and track, and is captain on the varsity team for both. When she first told me that she had severe asthma, and that she couldn’t run without her inhaler, I could hardly believe it. To me, she was the epitome of health. This is precisely the reason why asthma is so deadly; it can affect even the healthiest people. Furthermore, asthma can never be cured, a disheartening fact to the nearly 330 million asthmatics worldwide.

But there is hope to help control asthma. This is where animal research has greatly benefited the progress in finding some short-time cure for asthma. There are two main types of anti-inflammatory drugs used to relieve the symptoms of asthma: preventers and relievers. Preventers are used to suppress the inflammation of the airways. Relievers provide immediate relief for asthma symptoms. Animal research has been an integral part in testing and developing different types of preventers and relievers. For example, testing of relievers on lab animals in the late 1960s showed that the first relievers aggravated the heart, thus stimulating dangerous cardiac activity. Animal testing was later used to develop safer, more effective relievers. In the 1990s, animal research was used in the development of reliever inhalers aimed to be more long-lasting. Studies conducted using the guinea pig were extremely beneficial in selecting reliever drugs that had the right properties to enable asthmatics to take these medicines twice daily to protect against the symptoms of asthma. Overall, animal research has been successful in testing both the administration of the drugs and also their effects.

Animal research has also been used in determining how exactly asthma is caused and how it can be prevented. In the 1960s, experimentation on the lungs of guinea pigs led to an understanding of the interaction of nerves that release chemicals that contract the airway muscle, causing asthma symptoms. In 1979, leukotrienes (substances produced by cells during an allergic reaction) were discovered to be the cause of the symptoms of asthma. Later, studies on guinea pigs and primates brought about he development of leukotriene-receptor antagonists. These drugs were introduced in 1998, and they were the first valuable asthma treatment taken by mouth.

While all of these drugs provide enormous benefits, there is no panacea that will cure asthma. Therefore, animal research plays a vital role in the development of future drugs. Animal experimentation is central to the understanding of asthma as a chronic inflammatory disease and to the effectiveness of new drugs. Animal research will continue to be of use in examining the underlying problems of asthma and in the creation of superior anti-inflammatory drugs.

Thus, Melissa will continue to be able to run, thanks to her inhalers. But is was truly animal experimentation on guinea pigs and primates that allowed for not only her treatment, but also for millions of children and adults worldwide that similarly face asthma, including me and my sister. Even though asthma may not seem like a critical problem, and is often understated, it is the most common reason why children are admitted to the hospital, and nearly 5, 000 people die annually from asthma in the United States alone. Luckily, animals are helping in the fight against asthma, and without them, it would truly be a losing battle. Thanks to the animals, the 330 million people around the world, Melissa, my sister, and I can all breathe a little easier, knowing we are in good hands.

Pinky and the Brain Save the World, One Person at a Time
by Catheryn, Desert Mountain High School, Scottsdale, AZ

"Gee Brain, what d’ya want to do tonight?"

"The same thing we do every night Pinky- try to take over the world!"

Poor Brain. Although he seemed like the bad guy, all he wanted to do was help. Could he have run the world better than the people running it then? Probably not, but it was fun to imagine about ten years ago. I would laugh as I sat in front of the television, watching these two mice try to take over the world. However, just because Pinky and Brain didn’t succeed, that doesn’t mean mice haven’t done anything to make the world a better place. In 1997, my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. She hadn’t done anything about the lump growing in her body early enough and it was to late to get rid of it completely. She began a regimen of chemotherapy and faced a grim prognosis by doctors: two years to live, at most. Today, ten years later, she is still alive and relatively well. Her journey to this point, however, has been rocky, not to mention absolutely terrifying at times. What many of us may not have known along the way is how big a role those little white mice played in her treatment.

Mustard gas is smelly, burning, yellow gas that was first used in the First World War to blind the enemy. During one later military operation in WWII however, a group of people were accidentally exposed to mustard gas and found to have lower levels of white blood cells. What was the new idea among scientists? If the number of white blood cells could be reduced in a person without cancer, then the elevated levels in people with cancer could be reduced as well. The gas was injected into people and mice with lymphomas. Temporarily, the white blood cell count was reduced. Eureka! They had a development!

The first known records of cancer are actually those of breast cancer in Egypt around 1600 B.C. The papyrs writing noted, "There is no treatment." However, the writer of this papyrus was living in ancient times. There most certainly was no cure for something so harsh as cancer then. But if we fast-forward many, many years into the future to 1911, we find a chicken. Yes, a chicken. A chicken with the disease now referred to as the Rous sarcoma virus that causes cancer. Peyton Rous, who won a Nobel Prize in 1968 for his studies, observed the chicken to find possible cures for the cancer caused by the virus. Using his observations of the chickens in his lab, he was able to determine specific causes and symptoms of cancer and treat them directly using various experimental rounds of chemotherapy. Animals were important later on in 1915 when animals were "given" cancer in a laboratory at Tokyo University. In one experiment, coal tar, a very powerful carcinogen, was applied to rabbits directly on their skin. The results proved just how dangerous the nasty habit of smoking could be. The dangers of tobacco smoke were then released to the public for the first time.

Brain never did take over the world. He saved the world several times, but he never managed to rule the planet as a whole. I’m not even sure if he made it that much of a better place, but there are some mice that have. Cancer treatment has been not only created, but has also vastly improved over the years due to the experiments done with mice. My aunt has survived a bout with bone cancer and radiation therapy, each one harsh and frightening. But thanks to some very brave little mice, she is still alive today. A round of applause to all the Pinkies and all the Brains: no matter who rules the world, they will always make a difference.

More Hearts Can Beat Because of Animal Research
by Allison, Canyon del Oro High School, Oro Valley, AZ

The last nine years of my life could have been completely different. All the milestones, the sweet sixteen, the first day of high school, the dance recitals, all of them could have been missing one very important person in my life, my mom. My mother suffered from a heart attack when she was only 36 years old. I, being 7 at the time, could not believe what was happening. Years ago, before modern heart procedures I could have lived most of my life without a mother. Thanks to modern animal research my mother has been here for me though out my life, and will be here for years to come. In fact, since 1900 the average lifespan in the United States has increased by almost 30 years due to modern medicine and public health. Animal research is vital to modern medicine, helping the development of new drugs, procedures and medical devices every year.

My mother received to angioplasty procedures and had to stents installed during the second angioplasty. An angioplasty is a somewhat risky procedure, inserting a tube into the narrowed artery and inflating a balloon at the end of it to press the plaque in the artery against the wall of it. Animal research was a fundamental part of developing the angioplasty. In 1929 Dr. Werner Forssmann performed the first documented human cardiac catheterization, on himself, however he used dogs as well to aid with his research. From 1936 to 1940, Drs. Cournand and Richards could develop the catheter to work in a humans’ heart. Their animal experimentation helped to prove this was a safe method, and then in 1941 they published their first paper detailing safe catheter use in 14 people as well as their animal research. The catheter became the building block for all non-surgical procedures in the heart. Because of Drs. Cournand’s and Richards’ safe method of using a catheter, other researchers used this technique to develop other ways to diagnose heart disease and come up with new ways of helping prevent it. One of these ways was angioplasty.

Models for the angioplasty date from around 1964 until 1976 when Dr. Andreas Gruentizig used his results from animal research on coronary angioplasty to help convince the American Heart Association of this lifesaving device. However, they did not see the legitimacy of the angioplasty until he represented his case a year later. In 1997, my mother was one in a million; one in a million heart attack survivors that might not be here today without animal research.

Stents are another life-saving devices created from animal research. During the late 1970s through the 1980s patient’s arteries would often close after an angioplasty. The stent was invented to hold the wall of the artery open. In 1986 the first stent was inserted into a human coronary artery and by 1994 the first Palmaz-Schatz stent was approved for use in the United States. Stent research is constant, with narrower stents being developed for easier delivery into the artery. As with any ongoing research animal testing is imperative. At Dotter Interventional Institute at Oregon Health and Science University, pigs, sheep, rabbits, dogs, and monkeys are being used to come up with many more non-invasive devises, like stents. Stents help reduce the chance of a patient requiring risky open-heart surgery and their usage helps decrease the number of cardiovascular related deaths each year.

Cardiovascular diseases are the number one killer in the United Sates. In 2004, 52% of the people that died from cardiovascular disease died from coronary heart disease. With animal research we can have hope that this number will go down, and that even more medical advances will be found. Because of animal research, my mom was one less killed by this disease.

Stem Cell Research
by Hannah, Canyon del Oro High School, Oro Valley, AZ

In this essay I will not explain how biomedical research has affected someone I know, but how in the future it could possibly save the life of a family friend. The impact of biomedical research has on our everyday lives is immense. There are not enough words to explain the effect it has on the health aspects of our lives. Biomedical research involves an investigation of a biological system. Human health and disease are the main issues that are researched. Animals play a vital role in the research process. These creatures have made it possible to have cancer therapies, vaccines, organ transplants, surgical procedures, and cures for a plethora of medical diseases and disorders. One of the most interesting and debated topics that is being researched is the use of stem cells.

Stem cells are defined as primal cells common to all multi-cellular organisms that retain the ability to renew themselves through cell division and can differentiate into a wide range of specialized cells types. Self-renewal and unlimited potency are two qualities of stem cells that are different from other cell types. The ability for the cell to be self renewed means that it is able to complete different cycles of cell division. Unlimited potency refers to the ability to change into different types of cells. The information we gather from stem cell research increases the possibility of cell based therapies to treat disease.

A family friend has been diagnosed with heart disease in the past year. Mice and other animals have been used for the advancement in the treatment of this disease. Bone marrow stem cells were transplanted into a damaged heart of the animal. These cells successfully repaired the heart tissue and created heart muscle cells. The potency quality of the stem cell can change it into the beating cells of the heart. This process could be repeated in a human body and have the same effect. Heart catheter methods are being explored to administer the adult stem cells into the heart. A syringe filled with adult stem cells connected to a balloon catheter positioned through the left ventricle is one process being developed.

Stem cell research is a heavily debated topic due to ethical and moral issues. Embryonic stem cell research is the most heated topic because it involves the use of a human embryo. Many people think that this is unethical because to obtain the stem cell the human embryo has to be terminated. Pro-life organizations believe that this is essentially killing a child. On the contrary, stem cell researchers believe that this research needs to be done to continue the advancement with medical cures.

It is impossible to say through stem cell research, how many lives can be dramatically saved. The thought of one stem cell and its ability to transform in whichever way suites your body is remarkable. My mind is perplexed by the infinite possibilities for stem cell research. The disease that a family friend has may result in the need of surgery. Surgery is risky especially with the one muscle that keeps you alive. Organ donations and transplantations are constantly in need. And even sometimes the organ or tissue transplant is rejected by the recipient’s body. Stem cells institute a whole new perspective on repairing the human body. It offers an alternate pathway to save lives. This life could be yours.

How Has Biomedical Research Using Animals Benefited a Pet, You, or Someone You Know?
by Bryna, Los Alamitos Middle School,  Grants, NM

Biomedical research has been used to find many different cures for many different diseases. I chose to talk about how it has helped with cancers. I chose this topic because there have been a few different people in my family who had to deal with cancer.

The first person I will talk about is my Nana. She was having female problems and went in for an exam. The exam came back abnormal. The doctors did a biopsy on her and found that she had cervical cancer. My Nana was very lucky that the doctor found and surgically removed her cervical cancer. Today there are eleven thousand, one hundred, fifty new cases of cervical cancer, and three thousand, six hundred, seventy deaths from cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is a slow growing cancer that may not have any symptoms. It can be caused by HPV, and can be prevented today by a shot called Gardasil. This is due to biomedical research done within this last year to make Gardasil.

The next person from my family who had cancer is my Aunt Verna. She was lucky because she had signs like my Nana did. She would get sharp pains so she went to the doctor’s office. They gave her an IVP and an ultrasound and they found something that wasn’t right. The doctors did test and found that is was ovarian cancer. This cancer forms in the tissues of the ovary. Most ovarian cancers are either ovarian epithelial carcinomas or malignant germ cell tumors. Ovarian epithelial carcinoma means that the cancer begins in the cells on the surface of the ovary. Malignant germ cell tumor is a cancer that begins in the egg cells. There are fifteen thousand, two hundred, thirty deaths from this cancer and twenty two thousand, four hundred, forty new cases.

The third I will talk about is my Grandpa. He had some moles and he thought they were no big deal. Then eventually the moles started to grow larger, change shape, and change color. So he went to the doctors to get it checked, and it turned out he had melanoma cancer. The doctors then removed all these moles. This cancer usually starts as a mole and it is best to have melanoma cancer removed surgically. There are around fifty nine thousand, nine hundred, forty people with melanoma cancer and over eight thousand, one hundred; ten have died from this cancer.

The last person I am going to talk about is my Aunt Kay. She went to the doctor’s office for her yearly check up. They took x-rays and all these test and found something that didn’t look right. The doctors took more tests and found that this abnormal looking thing was colon cancer. A few days later she had surgery, and the surgery was a success. The only thing was she had to have one and half years of chemo therapy, but that year and half was worth it. Today she can live like a regular person with her eight kids and her husband. There is only a few ways to prevent colon cancer the most recent is a pill called Avasin. About one hundred twelve thousand, three hundred, forty people have colon cancer today, and only two thousand, six hundred, ninety people have died from colon cancer.