Congratulations to our winners and thank you to all who participated. Happy DNA Day!
2025 Question
Artificial intelligence (AI)—advanced computer systems that can quickly analyze large amounts of data—is being used in many areas of healthcare, from diagnosing diseases to recommending treatments. Now, experts are also using AI to help interpret genetic testing results, which examine your DNA to understand your risk for certain diseases or guide treatments. If you had to undergo genetic testing, would you want AI to be used to help make sense of your results?
Please address the following in your essay:
- When do you think using AI would be helpful in understanding your genetic test results?
- What risks or harms do you think using AI could pose in healthcare?
- What information would you want to learn from AI for analysis of your genetic information? Consider in comparison to the information provided in standard genetic test results.
2025 Winners
Teacher: Mrs. Michelle Masters
School: Jumeirah English Speaking School, Arabian Ranches
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Teacher: Mrs. Brandy Yost
School: Carmel High School
Location: Carmel, Indiana
Teacher: Ms. Maria Zeitlin
School: Smithtown High School East
Location: St. James, New York
Honorable Mentions
| Sailesh Vijayaragavan Badri William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute Toronto, Canada Teacher: Dr. Elaine Sinclair |
Chaewon Kim North Hollywood High School Highly Gifted Magnet Los Angeles, California |
| Jai Elangovan Merchant Taylor’s School Northwood, United Kingdom Teacher: Ms. Sophie Pratt |
Duru Öztürk FMV Ispartakule Isik High School Avcilar, Turkey Teacher: Mr. Oral SAYIN |
| Ethan Greenblatt Hunter College High School New York, New York Teacher: Mr. Bradley Scalise |
Moosa Saeed Lahore Grammar School for Boys Lahore , Pakistan Teacher: Mr. Shafeeq Mehmood |
| Anna Hsu Bronx High School of Science Bronx, New York Teacher: Dr. Joann Gensert |
Avijay Sen Franklin High School Elk Grove, California Teacher: Ms. Sarah Kuhlman Ballard |
| Miray Karsidag Canyon Crest Academy San Diego, California Teacher: Ms. Deb Balch |
Joshua Wang William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute Toronto, Canada Teacher: Dr. Elaine Sinclair |
Where in the world our submissions come from:
About the Contest
The contest aims to challenge students to examine, question, and reflect on important ideas and issues related to human genetics. Competitive essays are expected to convey substantive, well-reasoned, and evidence-based arguments that demonstrate deep understanding.
Essays are evaluated through three rounds of judging, and every essay is read by a minimum of three judges. Top-scoring essays have typically been scored by a dozen or more judges.
Read the 2025 DNA Day Essay Contest Announcement Press Release.
Questions/Comments: Contact dnaday@ashg.org