You Deserve It: 17-Year Old High Schooler Wins $100K For Designing Cancer-Fighting Nanoparticle
Seen here looking excited out of her mind to be holding a giant check *adds to bucket list*, 17-year old Angela Zhang won Siemen's annual high school science competition for designing a cancer-fighting nanoparticle and NOT making a baking soda and vinegar volcano like I did. Come on, judges -- did you not see the little plastic dinosaurs?!
Zhang, the only female individual finalist, said her research was in part motivated by her family. Her great grandfather had liver cancer and her grandfather died of lung cancer when she was in seventh grade.
"I asked, 'Why does this happen. Why does cancer cause death? What are we doing to fix this and what can I do to help,'" said the Monta Vista High School senior.Zhang said the particle she designed improves on current cancer treatments because it delivers a drug directly to tumor cells and doesn't affect healthy cells around it. The particle is also able to release a drug when activated by a laser. The idea is still years away from being used in patients, however. Zhang says it could take 25 years between clinical trials and other steps before her research is helping patients.
You know, it's always comforting to know there are still youngsters out there willing to take up arms and help fight the good fight. Plus, PLUS -- she's a lady. More women in science, folks, that's the real message here. Maybe if more young girls wanted to be like Angela and not a f***ing Kardashian I wouldn't have to spend so much time drinking in the dark talking to a handgun (I still would though because he always says some really crazy shit).
Calif. teen takes $100K national science prize [washingtonexaminer]
Thanks to Kendra, who agrees the government should pay me a ridiculous amount of money to promote careers in science.
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