Community Corner
2 Years After Revolutionary Invention, Where is Jack Andraka Now?
Some in the scientific community were rude to the Anne Arundel teen when he was researching his invention.
Jack Andraka, a teenage scientist from Crownsville, has been touring the world after creating a revolutionary test for pancreatic cancer that costs pennies.
The Washington Post interviewed Andraka recently, asking him about the origin of his invention, and learned that some in the scientific community were rude to him when he was starting out—calling his invention "the worst idea ever."
When he was 15, Andraka came up with a breakthrough, paper-based sensor for pancreatic cancer. The test is ready within minutes, and is nearly 100 percent accurate.
The Post said Andraka has been working with several companies to refine the test for market, with hopes that it can be sold over-the-counter in the near future.
Word of the North County High schooler's invention traveled far and wide, earning him the 2012 Gordon E. Moore Award at the Intel Science and Engineering Fair, national TV coverage from "The Colbert Report", "60 Minutes" and a TED Talk, and taking the teen all the way to the Vatican for another award for positive role models.
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