FRISCO, Texas – A 14-year-old Texas teen won $25,000 for creating a potential treatment for the coronavirus, according to 3M.
Anika Chebrolu, an eighth grader at Nelson Middle School in Frisco, Texas, won the 3M Young Scientist Challenge for discovering a drug that could help treat patients with COVID-19. 3M is an American manufacturing company based in Minnesota.
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According to the 3M challenge website, Chebrolu used “in-silico methodology for drug discovery to find a molecule that can selectively bind to the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 virus in an attempt to find a cure for the COVID-19 pandemic.”
You can view her video entry below:
Chebrolu decided to take part in the Young Scientist Challenge after she battled a severe influenza infection last year. She wanted to find a cure for influenza; however, that all changed after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, according to 3M.
“I was drawn towards finding effective cures for Influenza disease after a severe bout of the infection last year,” Chebrolu said. “I would like to learn more from 3M scientists to pursue my drug development and with their help, would like to conduct in-vitro and in-vivo testing of my lead drug candidate.”
Chebrolu was one of 10 total finalists in this year’s 3M Young Scientist Challenge. In addition to the prize money, she was also awarded an exclusive 3M Mentorship.
For more information on Chebrolu, or the challenge, click here.
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