At the national research project contest which gathered secondary school students in Serbia, held on Saturday, 1 April, Savremena’s student Katarina Milenković achieved a notable result. In addition to substantial praise, she received a certificate for her scientific paper on the impact of onion on cancer cells, showing that her efforts paid off.

Effort, talent and intelligence rewarded

The contest gathered 36 students who presented their papers in maths, computer science, environment, biology, chemistry, psychology and history to a committee comprising university professors and experts in science.

Members of the committee showed great interest in Katarina’s Life Science paper “Impact of methanol extract Allium flavum on enzymes of antioxidant system of cell lines MRC5 A549 and HEPG2”. The committee praised her work and awarded her a renowned certificate.

Scientific contribution in cancer cell research

The subject of Katarina’s research on which she based her paper is the impact of methanol extract Allium Flavum L (yellow onion) on the enzymes of the antioxidant system (superoxide mutase 1 and 2 and catalase) and cell lines MRC5 (healthy fibroblasts, lung cells), A549 (lung cancer) and HEPG2 (liver cancer).

Onion is one of the best known anti-cancer agents which, combined with doxorubicin (a medicine used in chemotherapy), uses an increased concentration of antioxidant protection enzymes to destroy cancer cells. Having completed her research, Katarina concluded that the number of enzymes in liver cancer cells increased significantly, proving that the treatment would cure these cells in 90% of cases. Savremena’s student presented the obtained results in charts in the abstract and explained them in detail in her paper.

New challenges and praise for success

Katarina worked on her paper “Impact of methanol extract Allium flavum on enzymes of antioxidant system of cell lines MRC5 A549 and HEPG2” under the mentorship of professor Nebojša Jasnić from the Faculty of Biology.

After the Regional Talent Centre Belgrade 2 selected her paper for the contest, Katarina was faced with challenges she successfully overcame. Katarina presented her paper and abstract to the committee, which meant confirming her thesis and explaining the obtained results. After several months of working on the research, Katarina got the opportunity to publish it in an American scientific magazine.

Encouraging environment and support for talent

Savremena fosters various student talents and each student receives adequate attention and support to fulfil their potential. Through understanding, expertise and pedagogical support, Savremena opens the doors to the world of science and art for its students.