2. Imagination ends up in Cancer Remedy

Angela Zhang, a 17-year-old high school senior, bagged the $ 100, 000 Math, Science & Technology grand prize at the 2011 Siemens Competition, for envisaging a new technology to treat cancer. Since the gold and iron oxide-based nanoparticle can function two ways, one of the judges called her invention ‘Swiss army knife of cancer treatment’. This invention can be used in non-invasive imaging as well as to direct a drug called salinomycin into a tumor, targeting the cancer stem cells.

Angela was guided by Dr. Zhen Cheng of Stanford University during the 1,000 hours of research done on her idea since 2009. Further, Angela plans to major in chemical engineering, biomedical engineering or physics when she goes on to post-secondary education, which can be seen as more auspicious for the humankind.