TOLEDO—Daryl Layson, a senior at Toledo Central Catholic High School, spent most of last summer working in the University of Toledo’s chemistry department in a summer internship under professor Ron Viola.

Daryl Layson

The internship was offered through the American Chemical Society Project SEED Program, a summer research program that provides opportunities for students to experience what it’s like to be a chemist.

Project SEED allows high school juniors and seniors to work alongside scientists on research projects in industrial, academic or government laboratories and helps them discover new career paths. Daryl is interested in both science and art. The previous summer he had a job with the Toledo Museum of Art, so last summer he wanted to work in the science field.

Throughout the summer, Daryl worked mainly in molecular biology, and he chose to work under Dr. Viola so he could explore the cloning of mutant DNA. Dr. Viola was studying Canavan disease, and the cloning of DNA samples may aid in finding a cure for the disease. Canavan disease is an inherited condition that affects the breakdown and use of a brain acid, leading to a buildup of the acid and causing deterioration of the white matter of the brain. It is an often fatal disorder that affects children from birth, and many of those children die before they are 18 months old.

Daryl spent much of his internship setting up experiments and tools for the professor, and completing some of the experiments himself under the professor’s supervision. He was able to successfully clone a mutant DNA sample and he was excited to be involved in some potentially important research about Canavan disease.

Daryl is a member of the Central Catholic gospel choir and the tennis team. He is also in the photography club, and he would like to study interior design or photography in college. He is currently considering colleges in the Chicago area.