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14-Year-Old Wins the Young Scientist Award for COVID-19 Spike Protein Research
By Hannah C. staff@sciencetimes.com | Oct 17, 2020 10:50 AM EDT
14-year-old Anika Cebrolu, a middle schooler from Frisco, Texas, recently won the 2020 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Her research involved discovering a molecule that can bind to the coronavirus spike protein for the development of drug treatments. The virtual competition showcased the top ten finalists of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge between the ages 12 and 14.
The spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 plays an essential role in binding to the airways and spreading infection. It has also been targeted by researchers for the repurposing and development of antiviral drugs to treat the virus.
Moreover, the spike protein has been observed to be mutating over the past few months. Experts believe that the virus may be adapting to human hosts. Researchers also discovered that mutated strains of the virus are multiple times stronger than the original strain from 2019 in China. |
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