Milena Iglesias Berestan, Bruno Reich, and Solana Sandleris reached the final stage of the renowned European youth science competition “Jugend forscht” (Youth Researches) in the Biology category. After winning first prize in both the provincial and Hamburg regional rounds, they became the first Argentine team to ever qualify for the national finals in Germany.
The team, guided by Julieta Campi, a neuroscientist at the Institute, presented the project “Beyond Screens: Effects of Different Light Wavelengths on Cells and Sleep Rhythms”. The students, recent graduates of the Pestalozzi School, investigated the various effects of blue, white, and warm light emitted by screens. In laboratory tests using nerve cells from a mouse cell line, they discovered that short-wavelength blue light can cause cellular damage over time. White LED light, similar to daylight, significantly reduced the flies’ sleep time, unlike blue light and warm light. The results suggest that it is advisable to use the night mode on digital devices, as this shifts the light composition toward the warmer spectrum.
In addition to reaching this major milestone, the team was honored with the Werner-Rathmayer Prize, a special award presented during the Jugend forscht 2026 national finals for the best original project, sponsored by the German Zoological Society.
“Milena, Solana, and Bruno’s journey through the three stages of the Jugend forscht competition was flawless. They showcased their project in Germany and enriched their knowledge with every piece of feedback from the jury. Reaching the finals and being honored with a special award that highlights the originality of their work is a true source of pride. It has been an honor to mentor them”, expressed their teacher, Natalia Ehrenhaus.
IBioBA researchers began preparing and mentoring groups of students to participate in competitions in 2016, and since then they have won third place in the Frankfurt regional competition (2017); first place in the Düsseldorf regional competition (2018); second place in the Hessen-Mitte regional competition (2019); third place in the Giessen regional competition (2020); second place in the second (provincial) stage—after having won first place in the regional stage—(2023 and 2024); and third place in the provincial stage, after winning first place in the Hamburg regional stage (2025).
This activity is carried out within the framework of an agreement signed in 2012 between the Pestalozzi German School and IBioBA, and represents one of the pillars of the Institute, which seeks to complement its basic research work with initiatives aimed at science communication and the promotion of scientific careers.
About the Competition
In the 61st edition of the competition, 11,327 young people participated, submitting more than 6,000 research projects. A total of 116 projects advanced to the final round, held in Herzogenaurach.