The Membrane Mutation Effect Classifier (MMEC): A Novel-Structure Based Approach to Predicting the Functional Effects of Mutations in Membrane Proteins

Rebecca Alford

I always loved career day as an elementary student because I was able to share that my dad was a rocket scientist. Maybe he was not the astronaut flying into space or sitting in the control room, but I believed he had the coolest job because he was the engineer designing new space cameras . . . My passion for innovation was somewhat out of the ordinary because I was facing a challenge that was very real for me. At age 5, I was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition that results in severe visual impairment. Through my various Google and WebMD queries, I found that there were limited answers relating to the diagnosis and treatment of my condition. However, as I matured I realized that I did not need to wait for other scientists to find the answers: I could find them myself . . . After several all-night brainstorming sessions, I approached my research teacher Mr. Kurtz one morning to present my idea. I said that I wanted to invent a computer program that could predict the effects of mutations in disease.