2025 USA Brain Bee Program

USA BRAIN BEE

20 25

CHAMPIONSHIP

MAY 2 - 3 2025 RUTGERS UNIVERSITY Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey

WELCOME! 48 BRILLIANT MINDS FROM 26 U.S. STATES GATHER FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

WELCOME TO THE 2025 USA BRAIN BEE CHAMPIONSHIP!

ABOUT THE BRAIN BEE The International Brain Bee was founded 25 years ago in 1998 by Dr. Norbert Myslinski with a mission to build better brains to fight brain disorders. Since its inception, this neuroscience competition has inspired thousands of teens to learn about the brain and pursue careers in neuroscience-related fields. Over 25,000 teens participate in Brain Bee competitions each year around the world.

The winner of each local USA chapter is invited to participate in the annual USA National Brain Bee Championship.

The top three winners of the national championship receive monetary awards. The first place winner is invited to advance to represent the USA in the annual World Championship, held during the summer.

The USA Brain Bee is now codirected by Dr. Norbert Myslinski and Manuella Oliveira Yassa. The Brain Bee is possible thanks to the hundreds of individuals around the world who volunteer their time to host local competitions.

DR. NORBERT MYSLINSKI Brain Bee Founder USA Brain Bee Co-Director Neuroscience Professor University of Maryland DR. MANUELLA OLIVEIRA YASSA USA Brain Bee Co-Director Irvine Brain Bee Director Director of Outreach and Education University of California, Irvine

CODE OF CONDUCT AND RULES CODE OF CONDUCT The Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory at the University of California, Irvine is committed to providing an atmosphere that encourages free expression of ideas in a safe, positive, and harassment-free environment that is welcoming to all participants, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, gender transition status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or service in the uniformed services. No bullying, discrimination, harassment or retaliation of any sort will be permitted at the event.

RULES No recording (audio, visual, or written) of the competition questions or answers is allowed A competitor is allowed to compete in the USA National Brain Bee competition only once in a lifetime The competitor must be between the ages of 13 and 19 The competitor must not have knowledge of the confidential questions and answers before the competition Competitors are expected to generate answers without the help of any individuals or materials The decisions of the judges are final

RESPECT

HONESTY

INTEGRITY

CELEBRATING A LEGACY Dear 2025 USA Brain Bee Participants, Congratulations! You are here at the USA National Brain Bee representing your communities because you have won a regional Brain Bee competition. Your curiosity and commitment to learning about the brain, and your drive to push yourselves have brought you here. That’s something to celebrate and I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on how far you’ve come. No matter what happens in the competition today, you have already shown the qualities that will carry you far — curiosity, perseverance, and a passion for discovery.

The Brain Bee is so much more than a competition. It’s a community. It’s a launching point. It’s an invitation to imagine how your knowledge and passion can shape the future of neuroscience — and the world. Across the country and around the world, Brain Bee alumni are making a difference as scientists, physicians, educators, and advocates. You are now part of that story, and I cannot wait to see where your journeys will take you.

We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Dr. Norbert Myslinski, who founded the Brain Bee nearly 30 years ago with a simple but powerful vision: to inspire young people through the wonder of the brain. Today, thanks to his leadership, the Brain Bee touches the lives of thousands of students in more than 50 countries — igniting curiosity, advancing knowledge, and fostering hope.

I also want to extend my deepest thanks to Dr. Michael Matise and the committed organizing committee at Rutgers University. Their dedication and hard work have made this championship possible, and we are so grateful for everything they’ve done to welcome us to New Jersey and create a meaningful experience for all of you.

Congratulations once again. We are so proud of you, and we are rooting for you.

Sincerely, Manuella Oliveira Yassa, PhD Co-Director, USA Brain Bee Director of Outreach and Education University of California, Irvine

WELCOME TO THE 2025 USA BRAIN BEE Dear 2025 US National Brain Bee Competitors, Congratulations to all of you for your exceptional achievement in reaching the Final Round of the 2025 US National Brain Bee Competition at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School!

We are delighted to welcome you to Central New Jersey for a weekend of competition and enrichment activities. We are eager to share with you our passion for neuroscience and research to help foster these interests in all of you. In a world where knowledge and learning have come under attack by powerful people, it is more important than ever to cultivate this passion in the next generation of scientists and physicians.

We seek to pass the torch of progress on to you so that the next generation will continue to build upon the remarkable gains in human health and knowledge that we have experienced in our past.

Together, let us celebrate your accomplishments and look ahead with determination, secure in the knowledge that the future of science is in capable and curious hands.

Sincerely, Michael Matise, PhD Organizer 2025 US National Brain Bee Championship Rutgers-RWJMS

PROGRAM OVERVIEW FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2025 (OPTIONAL) 4PM

Registration Refreshments and Networking Heldrich Hotel Merchant Amphitheatre Foyer

5PM - 7PM

Panel Heldrich Hotel Merchant Amphitheatre

While we won’t be providing a group dinner this evening, we encourage you to enjoy one of the wonderful nearby restaurants.

Here are a few options to explore Christopher’s Restaurant & Bar The Heldrich Hotel Tavern on George 1 block from the Heldrich Stage Left Steak Across the street from the Heldrich Delta’s (Southern Soul Food) 2 blocks from the Heldrich Ramen Nagomi (Japanese Food) 1 block from the Heldrich Esquina Latina (Latin American Food) Down the street from Heldrich

PROGRAM OVERVIEW SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2025 9:00 AM

Competitor/Guest Check-in Great Hall

10:00 AM

Welcome and Introductions Main Lecture Hall

10:10 AM

ROUND 1 Neuroscience Facts & Concepts Main Lecture Hall

11:00 AM

Lecture Dr. Huaye Zhang Neuroscience Research at Rutgers Main Lecture Hall

12:00 PM

Lunch and Poster Session Great Hall

1:00 PM

ROUND 2 Practical, Clinical, Scientific Knowledge Group A: Neuroanatomy first Group B: Clinical/Scientific knowledge first

2:30 PM

Break

3:00 PM

Keynote Lecture Dr. Max Tischfield Impairment and restoration of the cerebrolymphatic system in aging and disease Main Lecture Hall

5:00 PM

Introduction of Finalists ROUND 3 Main Lecture Hall

6:00 PM

Social, Dinner, Award Ceremony

LODGING AND TRANSPORTATION HOTEL Heldrich Hotel 10 Livingston Ave New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (732) 729-4670

EVENT VENUE Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey 675 Hoes Lane West Piscataway, NJ 08854 TRANSPORTATION Transportation will be provided from the Heldrich Hotel to the event Saturday morning and from the event to the Heldrich Hotel in the evening.

If you will be driving yourself to the competition, please park in lots A, B, or C. Guests must use the link that was emailed to register for the event. They must enter an email address where they will receive a confirmation.

Until this process is completed their vehicles are not registered and guests may receive a citation. Special Event parking does not include metered parking or spaces marked RESERVED or GUARANTEED.

LECTURES

NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH AT RUTGERS

DR. HUAYE ZHANG

Associate Professor Neuroscience and Cell Biology

IMPAIRMENT AND THE RESTORATION OF THE CEREBRO-LYMPHATIC SYSTEM IN AGING AND DISEASE

DR. MAX TISCHFIELD

Assistant Professor Neuroscience and Cell Biology

2025 PARTICIPANTS

YAHYA ALZAYYAT

AMIT BHATT

Central-Mid Michigan Brain Bee

Iowa Brain Bee

Michigan

Iowa

NAVNEETH BADHRI

SHAMINI BIJU

Pacific Northwest Brain Bee

Central Mass.

Brain Bee

Washington

Massachusetts

AMEYA BALAJI

NIVRITI CHANDRASEKAR

Los Angeles Brain Bee

Oregon Brain Bee

California

Oregon

SAHARSH BANGARU

CHRISTIAN CHRYSSOS

Princeton Brain Bee

Rutgers Central New Jersey Brain Bee

New Jersey

New Jersey

2025 PARTICIPANTS

ALEXANDRA CLARK

MANU GADHIRAJU

Southern Maryland Brain Bee

Chicago Brain Bee

Maryland

Illinois

SAMARTH DUNAKHE

ATUL GANESH

Arizona Brain Bee

Brain Bee at Michigan State Univ

Arizona

Michigan

SHREENIK ENTURI

VIDHA GANJI

St. Louis Area Brain Bee

San Diego Brain Bee

Missouri

California

ISABELLA FONG

NAVYA GOYAL

Long Island Brain Bee

North Central Florida Brain Bee

New York

Florida

2025 PARTICIPANTS

QIAN (ANN) HAN

NITYA KATHIRAVAN

Tidewater Brain Bee

Newark New Jersey Brain Bee

Virginia

New Jersey

ELAINE HU

OLIVIA KIM

Philadelphia Regional Brain Bee

Bay Area Brain Bee

Pennsylvania

California

SOHAN JAYAPPA

BHUVIKA KODALI

Arkansas Brain Bee

Albany Regional Brain Bee

Arkansas

New York

JONATHAN JUNG

RIYA KOYA

University of Michigan Brain Bee

Indianapolis Brain Bee

Michigan

Indiana

2025 PARTICIPANTS

GRAYSEN LEE

KATHLEEN MCCARGAR

University of Minnesota

New Mexico Brain Bee

Minnesota

New Mexico

JORDAN LEVIN

KARTHIK NAGA

Norteast PA (NEPA) Brain Bee

Houston Brain Bee

Pennsylvania

Texas

ALLISON LOWE

SOFIYA RADLOVSKAYA

Central Florida Brain Bee

Jacksonville Brain Bee

Florida

Florida

JOSHUA LUGO

FILIP RAMAZAN

Triangle Brain Bee

Northern Nevada Brain Bee

North Carolina

Nevada

2025 PARTICIPANTS

NEELANSH SAMANTA

STANLEY SUEN

Pittsburgh Brain Bee

Irvine Brain Bee

Pennsylvania

California

ASHWIN SARODE

KONNIE TOWNER

Central Pennsylvania Brain Bee

Alaska Regional Brain Bee

Pennsylvania

Alaska

JIEUNHELRENA SHIN

RACHEL TRUONG

Creighton Brain Bee

James Madison Univ Brain Bee

Nebraska

Virginia

NEIL SRIKANTHA

THEHARA UBAYAWARDENA

Alabama Brain Bee

Rochester Brain Bee

Alabama

New York

2025 PARTICIPANTS

ARCHITH VENKAT

MOMIN WAQAR

Miami Dade Brain Bee

Vermont Brain Bee

Florida

Vermont

TARUN VENKATESH

SONJA XIE

Kansas City Brain Bee

Westchester Brain Bee

Missouri

New York

ARJUN VENKATESHWARAN

MATTHEW YANG

Boston University Brain Bee

Baltimore Brain Bee

Massachusetts

Maryland

YULANIA WANG

CLAIRE ZHOU

Baltimore County Brain Bee

Atlanta Regional Brain Bee

Maryland

Georgia

THANK YOU TO OUR 2025 ORGANIZERS AND VOLUNTEERS We are deeply grateful to the following individuals at Rutgers University whose dedication and support helped make the 2025 USA Brain Bee Championship possible: Michael Matise, PhD Associate Professor Organizer, Rutgers RWJMS Brain Bee Joan Mordes Administrative Assistant Steven Levison, PhD Professor Organizer, Rutgers-Newark Brain Bee Cheryl Dreyfus, PhD Distinguished Professor and Chair Diana Glendinning, PhD Associate Professor

Aaron Milstein, PhD Assistant Professor Roko Rasin, MD/PhD Associate Professor Kaliris Salas, PhD Associate Professor Huaye Zhang, PhD Associate Professor

Special thanks to the Rutgers graduate student volunteers who made this event a success!

USA BRAIN BEE

MAY 2 - 3 2025 RUTGERS UNIVERSITY Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey