Jack Andraka | CDI 2013.

Summary

The speaker shares a personal journey inspired by the death of a family friend from pancreatic cancer, driving them to innovate cancer diagnostics. They highlight the inadequacies of current detection methods and their quest to develop a low-cost, highly sensitive paper sensor capable of identifying pancreatic cancer at its earliest stages. Despite facing numerous challenges, including rejections from professors and scientific paywalls, they succeeded in creating a groundbreaking tool that could significantly improve survival rates. The speaker advocates for democratizing access to scientific knowledge, emphasizing the need for equal opportunities in research and innovation for all.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker's journey began at 13 after a family friend's death from pancreatic cancer, prompting a desire to learn more about the disease.
• 😀 Over 85% of pancreatic cancer cases are diagnosed late, resulting in less than a 2% survival rate.
• 😀 Current diagnostic methods for pancreatic cancer are outdated, costly ($800 per test), and miss 30% of cases.
• 😀 The speaker, driven by teenage optimism, researched pancreatic cancer detection and aimed to create an inexpensive and effective sensor.
• 😀 A protein called Meson was identified as a potential biomarker for early detection of pancreatic cancer, showing high levels in affected individuals.
• 😀 The speaker combined carbon nanotubes with antibodies to create a paper sensor that detects cancer, drastically reducing costs and improving accuracy.
• 😀 The sensor developed is 168 times faster, 26,000 times less expensive, and over 400 times more sensitive than current methods.
• 😀 The project faced significant obstacles, including 199 rejections from professors and the challenge of accessing scientific research due to paywalls.
• 😀 The speaker highlights the inequity in access to scientific knowledge, stressing the need for a 'knowledge democracy' where everyone can access research.
• 😀 The future of scientific research should focus on empowering young innovators and democratizing access to knowledge to drive advancements.

Q & A

What motivated the speaker to start researching pancreatic cancer?

The speaker was motivated to research pancreatic cancer after the death of a close family friend from the disease, which prompted them to seek answers and improve detection methods.

What is the main issue with current pancreatic cancer detection methods?

Current methods are outdated, expensive (costing $800 per test), and often miss about 30% of pancreatic cancer cases, leading to late diagnoses when survival chances are extremely low.

What was the speaker's initial approach to developing a new diagnostic method?

The speaker set out to design a sensor that is inexpensive, rapid, simple, sensitive, selective, and minimally invasive, aiming to detect pancreatic cancer at its earliest stages.

What protein did the speaker identify as a potential biomarker for pancreatic cancer?

The speaker identified a protein called Meson, which is found at elevated levels in the bloodstream of individuals with pancreatic, ovarian, and lung cancer, especially in early stages.

How did the speaker’s high school biology class contribute to their project?

During biology class, the speaker had an epiphany about combining antibodies with carbon nanotubes to create a network that could detect specific cancer biomarkers, facilitating the development of their sensor.

What challenges did the speaker face in obtaining lab resources?

The speaker initially struggled to secure a lab to conduct their research, receiving 199 rejections from professors before finally gaining acceptance into a lab at Johns Hopkins University.

What was the outcome of the speaker’s research after seven months in the lab?

After seven months, the speaker successfully created a paper sensor that costs only three cents, operates 168 times faster, is over 26,000 times less expensive, and is over 400 times more sensitive than current methods of detection.

What systemic issue does the speaker highlight regarding access to scientific research?

The speaker points out that 90% of scientific articles are locked behind paywalls, making it difficult for researchers, especially those without funding, to access necessary information, creating inequities in scientific knowledge.

How does the speaker envision a more equitable access to scientific knowledge?

The speaker advocates for a 'knowledge democracy' where everyone, regardless of financial status or location, has equal access to scientific literature, arguing that knowledge should be a basic human right.

What does the speaker believe about the role of young innovators in science?

The speaker believes that the creativity and potential of young innovators can drive a scientific revolution, emphasizing the importance of including younger generations in research and innovation.