An Indian Origin Student’s Tribute to His Pet Fish Becomes a Significant Scientific Project

Indeever Madireddy, a senior student at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley in California, sequenced the genome of the freshwater angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) over two weekends at a community lab and published a short paper encompassing his work on 18 October.    The 17-year-old stated that despite the fact that his fish was dead, he wanted to preserve it forever. So, he decided to sequence the angelfish genome in the hopes of contributing that information to the scientific community while also paying homage to his pet.  Angelfish are native to the Amazon basin and have a 10-year lifespan. Because of their long, majestic fins and ease of care, they are one of the most popular species of tropical aquarium fish worldwide. Genome sequencing aids in determining the genetic makeup or DNA sequence of a specific organism, cell type, or genome.  For his research, Madireddy raised money through crowdfunding. He spent a month preparing for the experiment and learning about the technicalities of genome sequencing. After the sequencing was finished, he spent another two months analyzing the data. As very little was known about the nuclear genetics of angelfish, his project contributed significant data to the scientific community.  Madireddy, an avid fish keeper and biologist, has also been awarded the prestigious Davidson Fellows Scholarship Program, which supports projects by students under the age of 18 in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, literature, and music.