During the last year, Wynton Kun, a junior at La Salle High School in Pasadena, engaged in research which led him to the unique opportunity of presenting the findings at an international medical conference. Kun conducted his work on pediatric home mechanical ventilation (HMV) at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles. Working with Dr. Thomas Keens, who is both a Professor of Pediatrics, Physiology and Biophysics at USC’s Keck School of Medicine as well as a physician at the Pediatric Pulmonology Division of Childrens Hospital, Kun collected data that led to his research paper.

After he submitted his abstract, Kun was originally believed to be a doctor and was asked to make a presentation to the 12th International Conference on Home Mechanical Ventilation in Barcelona, Spain, this past March. This two-day conference involved 1200 delegates from 28 countries with presenters and attendees that included physicians, paramedical personnel, technicians, home care providers, manufacturers, and psychologists. Commented Dr. Keens: “It is virtually unheard of for a high school student to interact at such a high academic and scientific level.”

Kun discussed his research with leading doctors, scientists and experts in HMV and pulmonary illnesses. “My conclusions seemed important to them and almost all of the doctors … agreed with my findings,” said Kun. “No one realized I was a seventeen-year-old high school junior.”

Kun has always been interested in the respiratory system and function of the lungs. The data made available by the Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles allowed him to look at the frequency of chest x-rays for children using HMV when admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. Dr. Keens sees Wynton’s work as important because it examines a vital aspect of health care in a population of critically ill children who rely on ventilators to breathe. Kun hopes to publish his research in a scientific/medical journal.

In addition to the recognition he received at the international conference, Kun also earned an Award of Excellence in Research by a High School Student from the Saban Research Institute of Los Angeles.