Teens Invents New Pancreatic Cancer Test

[Guest guest]

http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3757292

The two runners-up and more than 400 other finalists also won prizes in this science competition. (Society for Science & the Public)

Scholastic Store

The Scholastic Store

Sunrise Over Fallujahby Walter Dean Myers Operation Iraqi Freedom, that's the code name. But the young men and women in the military's Civil Affairs Battalion have a simpler name for it: WAR. In this new novel, Walter Dean Myers looks at a contemporary war with the same power and searing insight he brought to the Vietnam war of his classic, "Fallen Angels". He creates memorable characters like the book's narrator, Birdy, a young recruit from Harlem who's questioning why he even enlisted; Marla, a blond, tough-talking, wisecracking gunner; y, a guitar-playing bluesman who just wants to make it back to Georgia and open a club; and a whole unit of other young men and women and drops them incountry in Iraq, where they are supposed to help secure and stabilize Iraq and successfully interact with the Iraqi people. The young civil affairs soldiers soon find their definition of "winning" ever more elusive and their good intentions being replaced by terms like "survival" and "despair. " Caught in the crossfire, Myers' richly rendered characters are just beginning to understand the meaning of war in this powerful, realistic novel of our times.Learn more about Walter Dean Myers.$14.39 You save: 20%books;hardcover books;hardcovers | Ages 13 and Up

Sunrise Over Fallujah Ages 13 and Up $14.39

Last week, teen scientist Jack Andraka beat out more than 1,500 students from 70 countries at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Jack won the contest by developing a brand-new test for detecting pancreatic cancer—a dangerous illness that affects the pancreas, an organ that is part of the digestive system.

The 15-year-old native of Crownsville, MD lost his uncle to pancreatic cancer 10 months ago. So the budding teen scientist decided to do something to help fight the disease.

Victims of pancreatic cancer have large amounts of a chemical called mesothelin in their blood. Mesothelin can warn of the cancer early enough that it can be treated. However, current tests for mesothelin are very expensive. Often, the disease is detected too late for effective treatment.

Jack was inspired by diabetes tests, which use special paper to detect chemicals in the blood. He invented his own paper test, which checks urine or blood samples for mesothelin. The test can detect pancreatic cancer with 90 percent accuracy. It is also 28 times cheaper and about 1,000 times more sensitive than current pancreatic-cancer tests.

TEEN TITANS OF SCIENCE

For his efforts, Jack won the Gordon E. award, the top award at ISEF. He also earned a $75,000 prize.

Two runners-up and more than 400 other finalists also won prizes in the contest, which is the world’s largest science fair for teens. The fair awarded more than $3 million in prizes for top science experiments. A total of 1,200 experts in 14 different fields evaluated the young scientists’ work.

Intel, a computer-chip manufacturer, has been sponsoring the contest since 1997. Hawkins, the executive director of the Intel Foundation, explained in a press release, “We support the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair because we know that math and science are imperative to future global growth. This competition encourages millions of students to engage their skills for innovation and develop promising solutions for global challenges.â€