It is often suggested that young people may hold the key to solving some of the world’s greatest dilemmas due to their creative capacity. The nine young minds in the slideshow above give weight to that argument. Making a name for yourself in the world of medicine is no easy task these days. Doing so before the age of 20 is what you would call extraordinary. Click "view slideshow" to see some of the brightest and youngest minds whose contributions to science and medicine are just beginning. Krtin Nithiyanandam, 15 Krtin Nithiyanandam may only be 15, but he’s already made a splash in the field of neuroscience. After learning about the devastating effect Alzheimer’s disease has on patients and their families, Krtin started his work on developing an antibody capable of entering the brain and attaching itself to proteins that are present during the first stages of the disease. He is currently a finalist for the Google Science Fair, which will announce the winner of its global online science and technology competition next Monday. Adeeb Al-Balushi, 10 Meet Adeeb Al-Balushi. Last year at the age of 9, Adeeb developed a waterproof prosthetic leg in less than a day simply so his father, who uses a prosthetic, would be able to swim with him when they went to the beach together. Adeeb followed up on his innovation to prosthetics by entering the world of robotics, namely building his mom a cleaning robot. Joshua Meier, 18 Joshua Meier recently turned 18, but he started his work on aging stem cells when most kids his age were getting ready for their first day of high school. What started as a class project back at the age of 14 has blossomed into a potential cancer treatment. Meier just started his college career at Harvard University, where he will be studying biology and computer science and hopes to further his research into possible cancer treatments. Anthony Halmon, 19 From his humble beginnings in the Englewood area of Chicago, Anthony Halmon has come a long way since getting into fights and dodging gangs. Unlike most men his age, Halmon has had to put the needs of his daughter before his own. That constant worrying over his daughter led to his innovation and a trip to the White House to meet President Barack Obama. Halmon’s invention, the “Thermofier,” is the combination of a pacifier and a thermometer. His work not only earned him a handshake from Barry himself, but also participation in the Third Annual White House Science Fair and a full scholarship to Cornell University. Samantha Marquez, 18 Being daughters to a chemist and a chemical engineer has its perks. It also means a lot is expected of you. Well, it’s safe to say Samantha and Michelle Marquez have surpassed all expectations. What started off as a science project in the seventh grade for Samantha eventually turned into three-dimensional cell structure with the potential for both organ repair and drug delivery. Michelle Marquez, 15 Michelle chose to focus her research in an area close to her heart: music. After studying brain activity and a spectrum of different sounds, the younger Marquez sister discovered which sounds triggered both positive and negative emotions. Tony Hansberry, 20 A lot of people were surprised when Tony Hansberry made the incredible discovery that helped lower the number of infections suffered following a hysterectomy. Not only because he was 14 at the time, but also because he’s a boy. However, while interning at UF Health Shands Hospital in Florida when he was just 14, Hansberry realized that a vertical stitch when suturing after a hysterectomy, as opposed to a horizontal one, would significantly reduce the patient’s risk of infection. The supervising physician at UF now refers to this new method of suturing as the “Hansberry stitch.” Kenneth Shinozuka, 15 Kenneth Shinozuka knows more about Alzheimer’s disease than most people his age. Unfortunately, that’s because his grandfather suffers from this condition that affects around 5.2 million Americans. Like many of the patients dealing with this devastating neurological condition, Kenneth’s grandfather is prone to wandering, which has resulted in certain problems in the past. To prevent further problems, the 15-year-old New York City native invented a wireless system that can be worn inside the patient’s sock and would alert someone in the event of the patient wandering off. Jack Andraka, 17 After deeming the current medical standard for detecting pancreatic cancer too costly and slow, Jack Andraka decided to do something about it. He ended up spending the majority of his freshman year of high school developing a test that was quicker, less expensive, and more sensitive with the help of a professor from Johns Hopkins. The result has been considered to be more effective than traditional methods by many. So much so that it got Andraka a TEDTalk, a seat on The Colbert Report, and $75,000 grand prize at the Intel ISEF in 2012. source
