Anika Chebrolu wins 2020 Best Young Scientist in America award for discovery
Scientists searching for an effective treatment for the coronavirus around the world have turned to listen to a 14-year-old American student who may have discovered a remedy for Covid-19. Last month, Anika Chebrolu - who is in the 8th grade at a school in Texas, in the United States - won the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, a prize of 25,000 dollars and the title of Best Young Scientist in America 2020 for discovering a molecule capable of preventing infections by the disease and thus collaborating with a possible treatment for coronavirus patients.
Molecule found by teenager has potential to lead to Covid-19 cure
To arrive at her discovery, Anika used a method called "in-silico", using a computer simulation to find molecules capable of connecting to the spikes (in Portuguese, protein spicules) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes coronavirus, and prevent infection from occurring. In her study, the young woman found a molecule that showed better activity than the others, and presented it as a potential drug for an effective treatment of Covid-19.
According to experts, understanding the spike protein - which is used by the coronavirus to enter the body's cells - is key to promoting effective treatments against the disease, so the discovery has great potential. "Her work was extensive and examined numerous databases. Her willingness to use her time and talent to help make the world a better place gives us all hope," Cindy Moss, judge of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, told CNN.
Anika intends to work with scientists to develop research in search of a cure for Covid-19
Interestingly, Anika's goal was initially to identify a component capable of binding to the proteins of the influenza virus. However, with the pandemic, her advisor, Mahfuza Ali, motivated her to change her research topic to study Covid-19. From now on, the next step is to advance studies on the molecule discovered by the teenager - and Anika said she wants to work with researchers to develop a possible cure for the disease.
"My efforts to find a component to group the proteins of SARS-CoV-2 may seem like a drop in the ocean, but they can still help. How I develop this molecule with the help of virologists and drug development experts will determine the success of my efforts," said the young scientist in an interview with CNN.
