Westhampton Beach High School science research students are gaining valuable college-level research experience and undertaking meaningful scientific investigations through partnerships with Stony Brook University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and educational grants.
Seniors Emma O’Came, Brady Schultz and Noor Sohail are using these collaborations to advance their remarkable research projects.
O’Came is researching digestive enzymes and proteins that contribute to diseases, including pancreatic cancer. Her work began over the summer while participating in the highly competitive Stony Brook Simons Summer Research Program under the mentorship of Dr. Kathryn Gunn in the university’s department of biochemistry and cell biology. She has since expanded her research through Brookhaven National Laboratory’s SPARK program, where she can use equipment to grow and manipulate enzymes in search of naturally occurring mutations. These mutations, she explained, can be used for drug development in areas such as weight loss. She is working closely with an undergraduate student at the university.
O’Came aims to publish her findings in a medical journal and has already submitted to several research competitions. She has already advanced to the second round of the New York State Science and Engineering Fair competition.
“Having the ability to collaborate and not be limited to research just in my high school is incredible,” said O’Came, who thanked Dr. Dianna Gobler, her science research teacher, for opening the doors for research opportunities.
Schultz and Sohail have also expanded their research thanks to collaborations with outside research facilities and grants that provided them access to advanced laboratory equipment.
The pair have been studying the effects of dates on fruit flies with Alzheimer’s disease and have made significant findings through advanced experimentation. As part of the research, Sohail constructed an electrical shock device to serve as a negative stimulus, testing whether the fruit flies’ memory improved after consuming dates. They expanded their research after obtaining a grant that provided access to Oxford Nanopore technology, which they learned to use with guidance from researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Using the technology, Schultz and Sohail dissected the fruit flies to extract gut bacteria and discovered that the flies’ gut health improved by 80% after consuming dates.
With results in hand, Schultz and Sohail plan to repeat their experiments to ensure accuracy and then work with Brookhaven National Laboratory’s SPARK program to conduct further experimentation, studying brain plaques within the fruit flies. They have also advanced to the second round at the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair competition.
“We are extremely lucky to have the opportunity to conduct our research,” said Schultz.
All three students plan to continue their research and utilize what they have learned as they begin college in the fall. O’Came will be attending Northwestern University and plans to study biology, global health, biomedical engineering and French. Schultz is set to study biochemistry and Spanish, and Sohail intends to study biochemistry with the goal of becoming a surgeon.
When not in the lab, the trio can be found participating in their school’s extracurriculars. O’Came serves as president and founder of the school’s new Science Club. She is also vice president of the French Club and a member of the varsity volleyball team. Outside of school, she is a lifeguard and member of the Westhampton Junior Ambulance.
Schultz is a semifinalist in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program, an accomplished musician with All-State and All-County titles, and an All-Division tennis player.
Sohail is co-president of her school’s Environmental Club and vice president of the Science Club. Outside of school, she is a member of the Westhampton Junior Ambulance, teaches Sunday school and volunteers at Northwell Health.
I am incredibly proud of the dedication and curiosity my students have shown in their research,” said Gobler. “Their innovative experiments and commitment to exploring complex scientific questions are truly inspiring.”
Looking forward, Gobler said the district is exploring additional collaborations for science research students, including one with Stan-X, a Stanford University science program.