Amritha Praveen, a sophomore at Adlai E. Stevenson High School, has been named the champion of the 2025 Illinois BioGENEius Challenge. Praveen impressed the panel of industry judges with her groundbreaking research project titled “Early Risk Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Novel Approach Using Microbial Biomarkers and Ensemble Classification Models.”
The competition, hosted at Fulton Labs, showcased the exceptional talent of over 30 high school students from across Illinois who presented their original biotechnology research projects.
Omar Rodriguez from Wheeling High School earned the first runner-up position with his innovative project, “Carbon Biowaste Anodes in Na+ Batteries to Reduce Environmental Impact,” highlighting sustainable solutions in energy storage technology.
“This competition offers a unique opportunity for students to be acknowledged for their exceptional work in biotech research,” said Ann Vogel, Senior Vice President of Charitable Programs at iBIO. “The caliber of research presented by these young scientists continues to inspire us and gives us great confidence in the future of biotechnology innovation in Illinois.”
Both Praveen and Rodriguez have been awarded scholarships from iBIO to further support their academic pursuits and continued exploration in biotechnology.
The Illinois BioGENEius Challenge, organized annually by the Illinois Biotechnology Innovation Organization (iBIO), serves as a prestigious platform for aspiring young scientists to demonstrate their research capabilities and innovative thinking in the field of biotechnology.