Project Background: 

Carolyn wondered if there might be a way to protect skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation "from the inside out." She had read an article, which suggested that certain sunscreen ingredients might raise the risks for skin cancer. "I found this information ironic, as sunscreens are used to prevent skin cancer," she notes. Indeed, damage from two types of ultraviolet radiation, known as UVA and UVB, can lead to that disease. Might there be a good oral sunscreen? Carolyn did more research. Another article suggested that bixin might help prevent skin cancer cells from forming. Bixin comes from annatto seeds. People often use annatto as a spice or food coloring.

Tactics and Results: Carolyn quickly became a beetle wrangler. She worked with a darkling beetle, Zophobas morio. Studies showed that exposure to ultraviolet radiation delays when the beetle's larva turns into a pupa. In any case, though, the larvae must be separate to change. Carolyn's first test verified that exposure to ultraviolet light would delay the change. Carolyn next gave bixin to some larvae. The compound didn't appear to cause higher death rates or more deformities. Then Carolyn tested how ultraviolet light affected larvae that got bixin, compared to those that didn't. Groups that got bixin had lower mortality rates after exposure to UVA and UVB radiation. But she saw a significant drop in the percent with deformities only for those beetles that were exposed to UVA light. For future work, Carolyn would try to find the lowest effective dose of bixin. She would also compare the effects of bixin with other dietary antioxidants.

Other Interests: "For someone who marches to the beat of her own drum, I am surprised by how much I enjoy marching band," Carolyn notes. She plays the French horn. She also plays the piano and is part of a swim medley team. "We may not end up swimming our most favorite or best stroke," she notes. "However, as a team we have to leverage each other's strengths and overcome our weakness." Carolyn hopes to become an environmental engineer.