Thirteenth Annual European DNA Day Essay Contest for High School Students

The Winners have been selected!

The European Society of Human Genetics is delighted that students from 22 countries submitted 194 essays and 13 videos this year. The evaluation was made involving 53 experts in the field, who selected the following 3 winners and 11 honourable mentions for essay submissions as well as 3 winners and 2 honourable mentions for video subbmissions.

The names of the winners will be announced in front of approximately 5.000 international scientists and doctors attending the European Human Genetics Conference on August 31, 2021.

Winners as well as honourable mentions will receive a diploma within the next weeks. Acknowledgements will be sent to all submitters.

Winning Submissions

Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 DNA Day Essay contest!

1st Place

Elektra Epanomeritakis
The Wallace High School, Lisburn, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Essay Title: We can now sequence the genome of all life forms, from viruses
to humans. What could be the point of this?

View Essay

 

2nd Place

Neil Sardesai 
The Perse School, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Essay Title: I propose to sequence the genome of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum.

 
View Essay  
 

3rd Place

Isabella Ioannidou
The English School, Nicosia, Cyprus
Essay Title: Saving the Javan rhino; lessons for conservation

 

View Essay

 

 

 

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2021 Video Contest

1st Place

Merve Demir
Private Nun High School, Istanbul, Turkey
Video Title: Reverse Development to Survive, Sequencing to Progress

View Video

 

 
 

2nd Place

Ana Soares
Escola Secundária Gaia Nascente,Oliveira do Douro, Portugal
Video Title: Turritopsis dohrnii

View Video

 

 

 
 

3rd Place

Ambre Berta
Ecole Alsacienne, Paris, France
Video Title: BertaAmbre

View Video

 

 

 

Honourable Mentions Essays (in alphabetical order)

Metin Furkan Amarat
Buca Doga Koleji, Izmir, Turkey
Essay Title: Opinions on the Genome Sequencing of E. aspergillum

View Essay

 

Sophia C. Froehlich
Lycée général Isaac de l’Etoile, Poitiers, France
Essay Title: The genetic origins of longevity

View Essay

 

Nil Isindag
Özel Emine Örnek Fen Lisesi, Bursa, Turkey
Essay Title: New Vision at Gene Treatment: Check, Treat, Change

View Essay

 

Patrick Humphreys
Methodist College Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
Essay Title: Sequencing MRSA to Save Lives

View Essay

 

Zenia Mistry
NIST International School, Bangkok, Thailand
Essay Title: Killing the Unkillable

View Essay

 

 

Francisco Monteiro
Escola Secundária/3 de Alpendorada, Marco de Canaveses, Portugal
Essay Title: The Balaena mysticetus, the owner of our dreams

View Essay

 

 

Aikaterini Patrinou
Geitonas School, Attica, Greece
Essay Title: Sequencing the genome of algae: A revolutionary approach with environmental and commercial implications

View Essay

 

Oshadha Perera
Southland Boys’ High School, Invercargill, New Zealand
Essay Title: Sequencing the Genome of Influenza A and B Viruses

View Essay

 

Leja Simkute
Vilniaus Zirmunu gimnazija, Vilnius, Lithuania
Essay Title: Opportunities and obstacles of genome sequencing

View Essay

 

Sian Talbot
Cheadle Hulme School, Manchester, United Kingdom
Essay Title: How could sequencing the genome of the mosquito benefit science and society?

View Essay

 

Simona Zelionkaite
Vilnius Lyceum, Vilnius, Lithuania
Essay Title:We can now sequence the genome of all life forms, from viruses to humans. What could be the point of this?

View Essay

 

Honourable Mentions Videos (in alphabetical order)

Kerem Us
Ari High School, Ankara, Turkey
Video Titel: KEREM US ESHG DNA DAY

View Video

 

Pranvera Xhelilaj
LFlatrat e Dijes High School, Fier, Albania
Video Title: Genome Sequencing

View Video

 

Prizes

First Place Winner: EUR 300.-
In addition, sponsoring teachers of first place students will receive EUR 1.000.- to organise a science project or to purchase classroom equipment.

Second Place Winner: EUR 200.-
In addition, sponsoring teachers of first place students will receive EUR 800.- to organise a science project or to purchase classroom equipment

Special Commendation by the Jury: EUR 100.-
In addition, sponsoring teachers of first place students will receive EUR 500.- to organise a science project or to purchase classroom equipment

All participants will receive a certificate of appreciation for their participation in the contest.

Question 2021

‘We can now sequence the genome of all life forms, from viruses to humans. What could be the point of this?’

Write an essay /or shoot a video that starts with “I propose to sequence the genome of … because …”. Think about the benefits and consequences for science and society.