High-Level Research by Ayelet Abelow, Helene Sonenberg and Rachel Shapiro Rewarded in Prestigious Science Competition Three students from Yeshiva University’s High School for Girls have been named semifinalists in the Siemens Science and Technology Competition. Ayelet Abelow of New Rochelle, Helene Sonenberg of Hillcrest and Rachel Shapiro of Riverdale have all been awarded the prestigious honor—the most from any yeshiva high school in the country.

Each of the young women, members of YUHSG’s elite four-year Science Institute, worked on high-level scientific research and submitted research papers to the Siemens Competition for consideration during their senior year. They are in company with students from esteemed private and public high schools across the nation. “We are proud that these young women have received this well-deserved recognition of their hard work and the culmination of their participation in the school’s Science Institute,” said CB Neugroschl, head of school at YUHSG. “We wish them congratulations and continued success as they apply themselves to the pursuit of wisdom.” Shapiro’s research focused on engineering dental pulp stem cells (stem cells from teeth) to repair or regenerate damaged tissue due to injury or disease by using scaffolds, or the environments that surrounds the cells and largely influence their behavior and pathways. Abelow and Sonenberg’s research focused on the effects of gold nanoparticles on osteoblasts, cells that build bones in mammals, and rat osteosarcoma cells (bone-building cells that contain cancer). The girls wanted to discover if nanoparticles could affect biomineralization, the process of building bone, in the hope that more effective chemotherapy could be created. As semifinalists, the young women are invited to join the Siemens Scholar Network, where Siemens scholars can receive news updates, invitations to prominent events and network with one another for opportunities. “The fact that Ayelet, Rachel and Helene were named semifinalists in the Siemens competition reflects the hard work, dedication and creativity of these young women,” said Ruth Fried, director of the Science Institute. “I am excited to watch as they continue to pursue their love of science in the years to come.”