Could our best hope for treating COVID-19 come from an 8th-grader in Frisco, Texas?
Well, maybe.
Anika Chebrolu, who attends Nelson Middle School, entered the 3M Young Scientist Challenge in hopes of finding a cure for the flu.
But then the coronavirus hit, and so she shifted focus.
According to the 3M Challenge website, Anika used an "in-silico methodology for drug discovery to find a molecule that can selectively bind to the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 virus in an attempt to find a cure for the COVID-19 pandemic."
The discovery could be used to develop a treatment for the virus.
Anika won the challenge, the $25,000 prize that goes with it and a 3M mentorship.
Not bad at all.
Anika's goal is to be a medical researcher and professor. We think she's well on her way.
Students like Anika are the hope for the future. She's a fine example of the best of American - and Texan - youth.