The Thunder Bolt

Concordia Hanoi’s High School Independent research students are seeking a cure for ALS by testing the efficacy of specific substances on C. elegans, worms which are often used in laboratories as test subjects. Concordia’s science lab equipment allows students to perform complex procedures like DNA testing, giving them valuable experience for university research. 

One group tested omega b, and another tested ginseng, and both tests showed promising results in a cure for ALS!

The groups walked us through the process and their findings, and High School Science Teacher Mr. Barrientes explained why conducting these types of experiments is so important for student learning. 

Independent research hones science skills: Mr Barrientes

In our independent research course we really challenge students to develop themselves as aspiring scientists. 

One of the requirements and expectations of the course is that students engage in authentic research. If someone can Google what you're trying to investigate, that's not what our target is;  our target is to be able to provide something new to the scientific community and that can be at any scale.

As a High School lab, the goal is to refine our familiarity with lab techniques and procedures and to ask insightful questions to troubleshoot, to be creative, and to use the resources at our disposal to conduct good science.

In this course we had two groups that have been investigating ALS and they have been using a nematode (C. Elegans worms) as the model. One group focused on using ginseng extracts, and another group focused on using Omega 3 fatty acid as a supplement for decreasing the negative effects of ALS. While these might seem very simple and common, the techniques involved in assessing their efficacy and treatment for ALS are quite refined. 

With the ginseng group, not only did they use soxhlet extraction, which is an organic chemistry technique which the students had never done in the lab before. They also used a certain type of molecule detection kit or particle detection kit called an ROS kit. So being able to understand and develop the techniques with these methods is a measure of success in itself. 

Preliminary results indicate that their treatments actually improve the condition. 

Ginseng Group: 
Research methodology 

Our research project is on the effects of ginsenosides on C. elegans affected with genetic mutations commonly associated with ALS. Ginsenosides are the active ingredient in ginseng. We picked ginseng because we’re Asians that come from cultures that commonly utilize ginseng medicinally. Additionally, it’s easily accessible for most people, especially in Asia. 

There is a good amount of literature on the positive effects of ginsenosides on other neurodegenerative diseases, but not ALS. There is not enough research on ALS in general. So that’s another reason why we chose to study this ingredient and this disease specifically. 

The majority of our class time was spent preparing materials to care for the C. elegans, as well as conducting tests on them. Some of the things we did included making Nematode Growth Media (NGM) plates, putting OP50 and ginsenosides on them, and photographing the C. elegans under a stereoscope.

C. elegans live on NGM plates, so we make the NGM solution and put it in the plate. OP50 is a bacteria that the C. elegans eat. To conduct our experiment, we put ginsenosides - which we extracted from fresh ginseng using a soxhlet extractor - on to half the plates with OP50. On the other half of the plates we just have OP50. 

We photographed them under the stereoscope before placing it into an incubator. Then, after an hour, we will check if the plates with ginseng in it have more surviving C. elegans compared to the ones without. 

Results and Findings 

Our study investigated the effect of ginsenosides, a bioactive compound in ginseng, on C. elegans that carry a specific gene mutation linked to ALS. To measure stress in the worms, we mainly used the ROS Assay. This test makes the worms glow when they are under high oxidative stress—a type of damage caused by unstable molecules called ROS in their body. We found that ginsenoside significantly lowered stress levels in C. elegans under extreme stress but had no effect under mild stress or normal conditions. Our results support the potential of ginsenosides to be widely used for combating oxidative stress in many diseases. 

Omega B Group: 
Research Methodology 

In our project, we studied the effects of omega-3 on ALS-related neurodegeneration using C. elegans. Previous research on omega-3’s impact has been contradictory—some studies suggest it helps, while others indicate it could worsen symptoms. So, we wanted to test how different concentrations of omega3 affects movement of the worms.

To prepare the omega-3 treatment, we extracted oil from omega-3 capsules and diluted it in ethanol to ensure proper distribution. We then mixed this solution with OP50 bacterial broth to create four concentrations: 0%, 30%, 50%, and 70%. Using a micropipette, we applied the omega 3 treated OP50 solution onto NGM plates and spread it evenly. Once the plates dried, we chunked C. elegans from different genetic strains onto the plate. 

After feeding, we transferred the worms to an M9 buffer and recorded their movement under a stereoscope, focusing on body bends and coiling. Our preliminary results show that at 30% and 50% concentrations, the worms exhibited increased movement, suggesting potential benefits. However, at 70%, we observed more coiling and fewer body bends, indicating a negative effect. While this was just our first trial, our findings suggest that omega-3 might be beneficial in moderation but could have adverse effects at higher doses.

Results and Findings

After continuous trials of precise measurements, we have come to the conclusion that ALS model C. elegans show improved motor functions at an optimal concentration range. Moderate concentrations of omega-3 (30–50%) improve motor function and reduce uncoordinated movements in all strains, likely due to enhanced neuromuscular signaling and reduced oxidative stress. These observations indicate a possible therapeutic range where omega-3 may exert beneficial effects. However, further studies are needed to clarify the underlying molecular mechanisms and confirm these preliminary findings.

Bringing Science to Life: Mr. Barrientes

Science can sometimes be considered distant from us and a cold aspect and something that is not personal, but the goal of science is to improve the quality of life of people. 

Investigating ALS has been quite a journey, and a personal journey for some of us. We have a colleague here whose husband passed away from ALS. So even before we began researching, we invited her to share her experience. So being able to tie the human aspect into what science is made this project personal. 

It's nice to see that we're collaborating and working together to investigate ALS using C. elegans and impact the community that there is awareness of ALS and there's ongoing research to find a cure for this disease.

Learn more about Concordia’s High School Program.