Teenager awarded with 100,000 dollars for breast cancer research

Nithin Tumma, a 17-year-old from Fort Gratiot, Mich., earned first place in the Intel Science Talent Search 2012 and was awarded $100,000 by the Intel Foundation for his research, which could lead to improved breast cancer treatments. Tumma’s research involved examining the molecular mechanisms in cancer cells. He discovered that inhibiting certain proteins could slow cancer growth and decrease malignancy. This opens up a possibility for more targeted breast cancer treatments that are more effective and less toxic. The Intel Talent Search 2012 awards high school students for their research in the fields of math and science. This year’s finalists represent 39 schools and 16 states. Of the 1,839 high school seniors who entered, 40 were chosen as finalists and competed for the top 10 awards in Washington, D.C.