Valezka Ponce
Summer Intern 2007, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Arizona Respiratory Center (Tucson).

Valezka Ponce was selected for an Arizona Biology Network (ABN) Program summer internship at The University of Arizona College of Medicine (Tucson) in the summer of 2007. She joined the efforts of Prof. Fernando Martinez 's (Arizona Respiratory Center) lab in the search of genes responsible for certain respiratory malfunctions in children. She tested a particular gene, CYP2J2, which has been speculated to be involved with the later onset of asthma in children. Her research proved that the gene had no significant association with the development of child asthma. Valezka Ponce's summer project was awarded the first place among all of the ABN summer 2007 interns' research projects during an event held at the College of Medicine by the end of July 2007. Ponce will refine her experiments during the Spring of 2008 in preparation for publication.

Valezka Ponce - a native of Mexico - transferred to ASU in the Fall of 2007. She is completing her bachelor's degree in Molecular Biosciences & Biotechnology. She plans to attend Medical School and become a doctor.

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