62nd Annual STS (2002-2003)
Finalists
Ibraheem Maqsood Mohammed

FLORIDA
Ibraheem Maqsood Mohammed, 17, of Niceville, developed and tested a process for applying cost-effective antibacterial coatings to urinary and intravascular catheters to prevent biofilm-related infections for his Intel Science Talent Search project in microbiology. Ibraheem tested his antibacterial formulations against bacteria S. aureus and S. epidermidis-the cause of most biofilm-related infections. The most effective antibiotic formula inhibited bacteria for 18 days, much longer than the one to two weeks catheters are normally used. He believes that his antibacterial coatings for catheters, which he is patenting, could save 70,000 lives and $8 billion annually in the United States alone. First in his class at Niceville Senior High School, Ibraheem has perfect SAT scores. Among his many extracurricular activities, he is founder of the academic clinic, co-captain of the academic team, president of the math club and president of the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance. Ibraheem, who is fluent in Urdu, Arabic and Spanish, hopes to study mathematics and physics at the University of Chicago and perform research in neuroscience. He is the son of Dr. Maqsood and Anwar Mohammed.