Science Education News (SEN) Journal 2017 Volume 66 Number 4 December 2017 | Page 10

ASSOCIATION NEWS
2017 STANSW Young Scientist ISEF (continued)
Jade Moxey, Sapphire Coast Anglican College, Grazing
Sheep on Deadly Fireweed: A "BaaaaD" Situation 4th Place
Grand Award: Animal Sciences
Macinley Butson, The Illawarra Grammar School, Smart
Armour – Improving outcomes for breast cancer patients
1st Place Grand Award: Translational Medical Science
Jade assessed the relationship between sheep and fireweed.
Firewood is a toxic noxious weed that is globally distributed.
Sheep are considered to be the most effective form of fireweed
control. Jade challenged this theory! She decided to investigate
whether the fireweed seed is actually capable of germinating
once passing through a sheep’s digestive system. From the
samples she collected, she had 213 fireweed plants germinate
which greatly contradicts agricultural recommendations that are
promoted all around the world.
Macinley’s looked at the effect that radiotherapy has on the
contralateral breast, the non-treated breast during radiotherapy
treatment. She targeted breast cancer as it is one of the most
common forms of cancer. It is estimated that 1 in 14 patients
will develop a primary cancer in their non-treated breast later
in their lifetime. To help reduce these statistics she designed a
breast shield to reduce the development of a new cancer after
radiotherapy treatment.
She then investigated the effect on the sheep’s health of the
toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids contained in the fireweed plant.
Now industry professionals suggest that sheep should not be
exposed to fireweed for periods greater than 3 years. However,
Jade examined sheep that had been exposed to fireweed for
periods up to 6 years and discovered that there was no significant
evidence of impaired health present, which again contradicts
recommendations that have been promoted to agricultural
communities.
Finally, Jade investigated whether the pyrrolizidine alkaloids from
the fireweed actually accumulate within the liver or the tissue of
the sheep and potentially can then enter the human food chain.
From the 24 samples that Jade collected 3 tested positively to
the presence of these deadly pyrrolizidine alkaloids. These levels
were below safety recommendations but the fact that they were
present definitely causes reason for further research to be taken.
This was the greatest week of Jade’s life. This was the second
time that she had been at ISEF and it was just as good as the first.
She was so excited to be there and so thankful to everyone who
had been supporting her.
Macinley’s breast shield is made of copper and scale mail. She
tested copper, lead and aluminium and made the finding that
copper was more effective than both lead and aluminium.
10
SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 66 NO 4