BOOST Cafe

Youth Inspiration – A Conversation with Jack Andraka

  BOOST Collaborative’s Program Manager Rachel Ruiz had the pleasure of interviewing Jack Andraka, a Maryland high school sophomore who at age 15 invented an inexpensive and sensitive dipstick-like sensor for the rapid and early detection of pancreatic, ovarian and lung cancers. He learned that the lack of a rapid, low-cost early screening method contributed to the poor survival rate among individuals with pancreatic cancer. After thinking further about the problem, he came up with a plan and a budget to put his ideas in motion. The diagnostic method he developed is more than 90 percent accurate in detecting the presence of pancreatic cancer’s biomarker protein called mesothelin, and has earned him several prizes, awards, and recognitions.

What inspired you to pursue your research and what do you think youth can learn from your example?

When a close family friend who was like an uncle to me passed away from pancreatic cancer when I was 13, I was sad and confused so I turned to any teens’ source of information: Wikipedia and Google. There I learned that 85% of pancreatic cancers are diagnosed late, when a person has only a 2% chance of survival. One reason I discovered was that there was no inexpensive, rapid and sensitive way to diagnose pancreatic cancer early. The current test was 60 years old, cost $800 and many insurance plans didn’t cover it. I knew there had to be a better way.

Armed with my teenage optimism I started learning all I could about pancreatic cancer. One day I smuggled my favorite science journal articles into biology class. It was on single walled carbon nanotubes, which are like the super heroes of material science to me – long strands of carbon less than the diameter of a hair with amazing electrical properties. So while I was reading my article I was half- listening to my teacher talk about antibodies: proteins that react with only a certain other protein. Then I had my idea! What if I combined what I was reading about (carbon nanotubes) with what I was supposed to be learning about (antibodies) and was able to detect pancreatic cancer?

Of course I had many gaps in my knowledge to fill but I worked hard over the summer and finally drew up an experimental design with a materials list, budget and timeline. I sent it off to 200 professors and waited for the acceptances to roll in. I received 199 rejections and one maybe from Dr. Maitra at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. I managed to pass my interview with him and was finally able to get started on my project.

What kept you going when you received rejection letters and as you were filling gaps in your research?

What kept me going was thinking about the hundreds of people that are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer every day. I always thought when going to the lab, I’m going to save 100 lives today.

Of course I had many setbacks since I was inexperienced in the lab. I broke my cultured cell test tubes and struggled with the Western Blot but after 7 long months of working nights and weekends and holidays, I finally ended up with a paper sensor the size of a diabetic test strip that can detect the biomarker for pancreatic and ovarian cancer.

Right now I’m in talks with biotech companies to get the sensor made more quickly and uniformly so it can undergo more testing. I’m hopeful that one day we can all have more time with that uncle or parent or good friend and that pancreatic cancer will no longer be such a feared disease.

Was there anyone who inspired you to keep going or who believed in you and your research?

Most of the scientists had friends and family who had passed away from pancreatic cancer. My entire family was so supportive. They really helped me.

What have you learned from Dr. Maitra? How has he helped you through this process?

Dr. Maitra is the best mentor anyone could possibly have. He was so amazing and he taught me so much in the lab and how to persevere.

Have you always had an affinity for science? Did you think that when you “grew up” you’d be a scientist?

I’ve always been interested in science since the age of 3. Really I’ve been interested since then. I started doing actual scientific research when I was in 6th grade working on my very first Science Fair project.

What was your first Science Fair project?

So there are these things called lowhead dams which are essentially structures that let water flow over the top of them and they form these very dangerous conditions, which can harm many recreational athletes. Since I kayak this is a huge problem for people like me so I found a new way to remediate them so that they were far less dangerous.

Have you participated in an afterschool program? What was that experience like?

I used to do clubs in 9th grade. It was really fun and I got to make a bunch of great friends that I’m still in touch with. Would you consider going into the lab during an afterschool program?

Yes! We love how you’ve really pursued your research and have directed your own learning and feel like many youth in afterschool programs can learn from your example.

How do you think educators in after school inspire youth to pursue their passions and goals?

During all this I’ve learned that the Internet is a neutral space where your age, gender or race don’t matter- where it’s only your ideas that count so…

If a 15 year old, who didn’t even know what a pancreas was, can create a new way of detecting cancer using Google and Wikipedia, just imagine what you can do!

What are your long-term goals and aspirations?

So currently I want to win the Tricoder XPrize for 10 million dollars. It’s to develop something the size of a SmartPhone that can diagnose any disease instantly. Currently we’re in the process of creating the device so I can’t really disclose too much of that. I’m working with four other teens from around the world on the project. Also I’m working on open access to scientific journals. They cost between $35-50/particle so it’s really hard for student innovators to learn. Much of this research is funded by the taxpayers so I am helping the open access movement to allow free access to the scientific knowledge after 6 months. We should live in a knowledge democracy, where everyone can access this knowledge and not a knowledge aristocracy where only certain people who can afford it can have access.

If you could be any superhero, who would you be?

This is a hard one. I guess probably Iron Man since he does all that tinkering!

Other than saving lives, what are you doing in your spare time?

I love to kayak, fold origami and compete in international math competitions. And then I go out for movies with friends.

What’s your favorite movie out right now?

Wreck It Ralph!

What did you have for breakfast this morning?

For breakfast today I had Cocoa Krispies and milk ☺

Follow Jack on Twitter @jackandraka.