Saathvik Kannan, a 17-year-old Indian American senior at Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri, has been awarded one of the two Regeneron Young Scientist Awards worth $50,000 in the 2023 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF). Kannan’s achievement in the world’s largest global pre-college science and engineering competition was based on his use of biocomputational methods to investigate the heightened infectivity of the mpox virus, which reemerged in 2022.
Through his approach called Bioplex, Kannan utilized machine learning and three-dimensional comparative protein modeling to analyze the structures enabling virus replication. His work led to the identification of mutations in the virus that likely increased its infectiousness and other mutations that could confer antibiotic resistance.
Kannan believes that Bioplex could be applied to future outbreaks of different viruses. He expressed his joy and gratitude to his mentor, Kamlendra Singh, for his guidance throughout the project. In addition, two other Indian American students, Rishabh Ranjan and Gopalaniruddh Tadinada, were awarded the H. Robert Horvitz Prize for Fundamental Research, amounting to $10,000, for their development of a customized automated system capable of detecting gastrointestinal cancer at an early stage.
The system employs robotics and machine learning to analyze blood samples and identify patients with pancreatic, colorectal, or hepatic cancers within three hours at a cost of approximately $300. Detecting these cancers before they spread can significantly enhance treatment outcomes. The winners were recognized during two award ceremonies in May, with a total of nearly $9 million awarded to the finalists. The competition showcased the work of over 1,600 young scientists from 49 states and 64 countries.
