Georgia Life Sciences Announces 2026 Georgia BioGENEius Challenge Winner

Atlanta, GA (April 1, 2026) - Georgia Life Sciences (GLS) is proud to announce that Saisurya Lakkimsetti, a junior at Lakeside High School in Columbia County, has been named the winner of the 2026 Georgia BioGENEius Challenge. The competition took place on March 27, 2026, as part of the statewide Georgia Science and Engineering Fair (GSEF) at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. Forty-seven students from across Georgia competed for this year's title and cash prize.

Jaehyeon Lee, an 11th-grade student from Walton High School, was named runner-up in this year's competition.

The Georgia BioGENEius Challenge recognizes outstanding high school students who are conducting innovative biotechnology research with real-world applications. This year's top projects, presented in the Global Healthcare Challenge track, demonstrated exceptional scientific rigor and forward-thinking potential in addressing critical healthcare challenges.

Saisurya's research focuses on identifying potential inhibitors for Endocan, a protein known to play a role in glioblastoma tumor growth. Using advanced computational modeling techniques-including AlphaFold and molecular docking tools-she screened thousands of small molecules to identify compounds that may block tumor-promoting signaling pathways. Her work identified several promising candidates that could serve as a foundation for future drug development targeting glioblastoma.

Jaehyeon's project investigates how varying glucose concentrations affect regeneration in planaria, modeling impaired wound healing in diabetic conditions. By testing graded glucose environments and measuring regeneration indicators such as growth and differentiation, Jaehyeon demonstrated that lower glucose levels enhance regeneration while higher levels inhibit healing. The study establishes a model to better understand hyperglycemia's impact on diabetic wound healing.

"The work by these students is a powerful example of the innovation and determination we see in Georgia's next generation of life sciences leaders," said Maria Thacker Goethe, President and CEO of Georgia Life Sciences. "The BioGENEius Challenge is critical because it provides students with a platform to apply cutting-edge science to real-world problems, while also strengthening the future workforce that will drive breakthroughs in healthcare, biotechnology, and beyond."

The Georgia BioGENEius Challenge is part of Georgia Life Sciences' broader commitment to advancing workforce development and fostering innovation across the state's rapidly growing life sciences ecosystem.

Judging the 2026 Georgia BioGENEius Challenge: Ian Biggs; Ralph Cordell, CDC; Alex Harvey, ViaMune; Jamie Graham, Smith Gambrell Russell; and Evan Scullin, LuminiSci. 

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