First Look - Jack Andraka Stanford Medicine X Keynote

Summary

Jack Andraka, a young scientist, shares his journey of developing a revolutionary sensor for early pancreatic cancer detection at the age of 15. His invention, using carbon nanotubes and antibodies, is a cost-effective, rapid, and highly sensitive alternative to traditional methods. Andraka's story highlights the importance of accessible scientific knowledge, advocating for a 'knowledge democracy' where everyone, regardless of their background, has equal access to scientific research.

Takeaways

• 😢 Jack Andraka was motivated to find a better way to detect pancreatic cancer after a close family friend passed away from it.
• 🔍 He discovered that over 85% of pancreatic cancers are diagnosed late, giving patients less than a 2% chance of survival due to outdated detection methods.
• 🛠️ Jack embarked on a quest to develop a new cancer sensor that would be inexpensive, rapid, simple, sensitive, selective, and minimally invasive.
• 🧬 Through extensive online research, he identified a protein called mesothelin, which is present in high levels in the bloodstream during early stages of pancreatic, ovarian, and lung cancers.
• 💡 His innovative idea was to combine antibodies with carbon nanotubes to create a sensor that changes electrical resistance in the presence of the target protein.
• 📚 Jack faced numerous rejections and challenges, including the difficulty of accessing scientific articles due to paywalls, which hindered his research progress.
• 🏥 Despite the setbacks, he persevered and eventually secured lab space at Johns Hopkins University to develop his sensor.
• 🔬 The developed sensor was highly effective, costing only three cents, taking five minutes to run, and being 26,000 times less expensive and 400 times more sensitive than existing methods.
• 🌟 Jack's sensor could potentially increase the survival rate of pancreatic cancer from 5.5% to nearly 100% and is adaptable for detecting other diseases as well.
• 💼 He highlighted the issue of paywalls in academic publishing, arguing that knowledge should be a basic human right, not a commodity, and called for a 'knowledge democracy'.
• 🌐 Jack emphasized the importance of equal access to knowledge, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographical location, to empower everyone to contribute to scientific advancements.

Q & A

What motivated Jack Andraka to start researching pancreatic cancer?

Jack was motivated to research pancreatic cancer after a close family friend, who was like an uncle to him, passed away from the disease.

What was the main issue Jack identified with the current method of detecting pancreatic cancer?

The main issue Jack identified was that the current method of detecting pancreatic cancer is outdated, expensive, and inaccurate, missing 30% of all cases and only being administered when a doctor is highly suspicious of cancer.

What are the characteristics of an ideal sensor for detecting pancreatic cancer according to Jack's research?

An ideal sensor for detecting pancreatic cancer should be inexpensive, rapid, simple, sensitive, selective, and minimally invasive.

How did Jack approach the challenge of finding a protein to detect pancreatic cancer?

Jack approached the challenge by researching online, specifically using Google and Wikipedia, and by examining a database of over 8,000 different proteins associated with various cancers.

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

Jack identified the protein mesothelin as a potential biomarker for pancreatic cancer, as it is found in high levels in the bloodstream during the early stages of the disease.

What innovative material did Jack use to create his sensor for detecting mesothelin?

Jack used carbon nanotubes to create his sensor, combining them with antibodies to create a network that changes electrical resistance in the presence of the specific protein.

What was the main challenge Jack faced in getting his research started?

The main challenge Jack faced was gaining access to a laboratory to conduct his research, as he received 199 rejections from professors before finally getting a 'maybe' from Dr. Aaron Blair at Johns Hopkins University.

How did Jack overcome the issue of paywalls in accessing scientific journals?

Jack and his peers found ways to access articles by pirating them from different sites or by emailing the lead authors for copies, although this often led to wasted time and sometimes required spending money.

What impact does Jack believe the paywalls have on the accessibility of scientific knowledge?

Jack believes that paywalls create a rigid knowledge class system, discriminating access to knowledge based on financial resources and limiting the potential for scientific discovery by those who cannot afford the articles.

What is Jack's vision for the future of scientific knowledge accessibility?

Jack envisions a 'knowledge democracy' where everyone, regardless of their background or financial status, has equal access to scientific knowledge as a basic human right, fostering a more equitable environment for scientific discovery.

How does Jack's research potentially impact the early detection and survival rates of pancreatic cancer?

Jack's research has the potential to significantly increase the early detection rate and survival rates of pancreatic cancer by providing a sensor that is faster, cheaper, and more sensitive than current methods, allowing for detection at stages when the chance of survival is close to 100%.