What were you doing when you were 17? Picking boogers and listening to Morrissey? Playing Dungeons & Dragons? Bet you weren’t solving cancer problems!

STORY: Nike Takes An “L” In China!

If you are 17-year-old Angela Zhang, it’s highly likely that you’re cashing a check for $100,000 right about now!

Zhang, a high school senior from Cupertino, was recently awarded the $100,000 Grand Prize in the Individual category of the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology.

Guess what her project was?

Zhang’s project was entitled ‘Design of Image-guided, Photo-thermal Controlled Drug Releasing Multifunctional Nanosystem for the Treatment of Cancer Stem Cells, the so-called ‘Swiss army knife of cancer treatment,’ which allows a nanoparticle to be delivered to a tumor where it proceeds to kills cancer stem cells.

She’s been studying cancer since 2009, spending over 1000 hours figuring out how to murder it. Since 15!!! Zhang’s been trying to murder cancer while you were watching Yugi Oh!

Zhang plans on being a research professor and her $100K will guarantee a year of books.

The Siemens Competition is in its 13th year and aims to highlight talent at the high school level for those interested in science research. Last year 15-year-old Benjamin Clark won the Individual category for his work into how stars are born. In 2009 Ruoyi Jiang won for his research into chemotherapy drug resistance.

Know what that means?

We’re thisclose to curing cancer.

SOURCE: Nike Talk & Engadget

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