This 14-year-old has won $25,000 for research on potential COVID-19 cure

14-year-old Anika Chebrolu from Texas was recently named the winner of the 2020 3M Young Scientist Challenge, a competition for middle school scientists, and also won a cash prize of $25,000. The young scientist has discovered a molecule that can selectively bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2. 

Binding and inhibiting this viral protein would potentially stop the virus entry into the cell, creating a viable drug target. 

At a time when the entire world is waiting with bated breath for an effective cure for the COVID-19 virus, this has come as heartening news.

Anika wasn’t initially planning on studying a coronavirus. After being stricken with a bad bout of flu last year, she was actually hoping to help find a cure for influenza. 

But then COVID-19 hit the globe, and she knew just what to focus her attention on.

Read more here: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/14-year-old-girl-wins-25k-for-a-scientific-breakthrough-that-could-lead-to-covid-19-cure/