David Hao, a senior in UNT's Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, was named one of 20 national finalists for the USA Biology Olympiad Team.

Hao works in UNT's Fundamental Neuroscience Laboratory headed by Jannon Fuchs, professor of biological sciences, investigating the role of the somatostatin-3 receptor, a protein found on cell organelles called primary cilia. He is finding evidence that this cilia receptor helps neurons survive after a brain injury.

After graduating from TAMS, he plans to major in molecular biology and conduct research on the molecular bases of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease.