5 ms·

Just 100k? Seems like a small sum for something that could potentially help cure cancer.

ukdm 15y ago
It's not about the money though, is it? Imagine being 17, working on a project you are really passionate about, and then someone saying well done with 100k. Then think about what the coverage of your achievement will do for you, opening doors to the future you desire so much. The cash is just a nice extra I'd imagine.
sp332 15y ago
It's the top prize from this particular competition. Patent licensing comes later :)
tomjen3 15y ago
If it cant cure cancer then it isn't likely to be worth much. If ti does cure cancer, she will make a fortune through patent grants.
luriel 15y ago
> could potentially help cure cancer. Sorry for being pedantic, but much harm is done by this misconception. Nothing can 'potentially cure cancer', cancer is hundreds if not thousands of (often) very different diseases. Also put another way: cancer is simply the result of evolution at the cellular level. You can't 'cure' evolution, all you can do is try to implement some 'population control' strategies that will work (for a while) for certain genetic variants.
- majmun 15y ago
  cancer drives evolution? [[citation needed.]] besides, nobody is asking to cure cancer in all population for all times. but in specific individual. who may or may not reproduce later in life. EDIT: don't need to downvote me being curios. if i didn't ask, this guys who answered would have less chance to post this usefull stuff . so i'm somewhat beneficial to this.
  - phillmv 15y ago
    No, you got it wrong. Evolution drives cancer. >besides, nobody is asking to cure cancer in all population for all times. but in specific individual. who may or may not reproduce later in life. Seriously? Go back and re-read what the GP said.
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  - bluemetal 15y ago
    Pretty sure he didn't imply that cancer drives evolution. wikipedia on cancer: "A large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body.... Cancer occurs when problems in the genes of a cell prevent these controls from functioning properly. These problems may come from damage to the gene or may be inherited, and can be caused by various sources inside or outside of the cell" I think he implied that cancer is an inherent flaw in the gene based reproduction used by complicated organisms. That our genes' ability to mutate, which introduces new and evolutionarily selectable attributes during sexual reproduction, can play up because of things like "tobacco use, infection, radiation, lack of physical activity, poor diet and obesity, and environmental pollutants.", and lead to cancer. I'm not saying it's totally 100% correct, although I suspect it is close, just explaining what I think he meant.
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    - onemoreact 15y ago
      Cancer is a series of mutations that enable a single cell to out compete other cells in the body for resources and reproduce exponentially. The final stage of cancer is generally some cancer cells that learn how to travel though the body and end up in a new location. However, rather than a simple disease it's an evolutionary process than can result in a brand new parasite as long as the cells learn to adapt outside the original host. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil_facial_tumour_disease http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil_facial_tumour_disease Warning, clinking on that link may give you nightmares.
DanBC 15y ago
It shows there is potential for other funding: getting a wider variety of student into Math Olympiad is one example.

ukdm 15y ago

It's not about the money though, is it? Imagine being 17, working on a project you are really passionate about, and then someone saying well done with 100k. Then think about what the coverage of your achievement will do for you, opening doors to the future you desire so much. The cash is just a nice extra I'd imagine.

sp332 15y ago

It's the top prize from this particular competition. Patent licensing comes later :)

tomjen3 15y ago

If it cant cure cancer then it isn't likely to be worth much. If ti does cure cancer, she will make a fortune through patent grants.

luriel 15y ago

> could potentially help cure cancer. Sorry for being pedantic, but much harm is done by this misconception. Nothing can 'potentially cure cancer', cancer is hundreds if not thousands of (often) very different diseases. Also put another way: cancer is simply the result of evolution at the cellular level. You can't 'cure' evolution, all you can do is try to implement some 'population control' strategies that will work (for a while) for certain genetic variants.

majmun 15y ago
cancer drives evolution? [[citation needed.]] besides, nobody is asking to cure cancer in all population for all times. but in specific individual. who may or may not reproduce later in life. EDIT: don't need to downvote me being curios. if i didn't ask, this guys who answered would have less chance to post this usefull stuff . so i'm somewhat beneficial to this.
- phillmv 15y ago
  No, you got it wrong. Evolution drives cancer. >besides, nobody is asking to cure cancer in all population for all times. but in specific individual. who may or may not reproduce later in life. Seriously? Go back and re-read what the GP said.
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- bluemetal 15y ago
  Pretty sure he didn't imply that cancer drives evolution. wikipedia on cancer: "A large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body.... Cancer occurs when problems in the genes of a cell prevent these controls from functioning properly. These problems may come from damage to the gene or may be inherited, and can be caused by various sources inside or outside of the cell" I think he implied that cancer is an inherent flaw in the gene based reproduction used by complicated organisms. That our genes' ability to mutate, which introduces new and evolutionarily selectable attributes during sexual reproduction, can play up because of things like "tobacco use, infection, radiation, lack of physical activity, poor diet and obesity, and environmental pollutants.", and lead to cancer. I'm not saying it's totally 100% correct, although I suspect it is close, just explaining what I think he meant.
  - deleted 15y ago
    [deleted]
  - onemoreact 15y ago
    Cancer is a series of mutations that enable a single cell to out compete other cells in the body for resources and reproduce exponentially. The final stage of cancer is generally some cancer cells that learn how to travel though the body and end up in a new location. However, rather than a simple disease it's an evolutionary process than can result in a brand new parasite as long as the cells learn to adapt outside the original host. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil_facial_tumour_disease http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil_facial_tumour_disease Warning, clinking on that link may give you nightmares.

DanBC 15y ago

It shows there is potential for other funding: getting a wider variety of student into Math Olympiad is one example.