Seventeen-year-old Audrey Zheng has developed a blood-based method for detecting pancreatic cancer.
The North Allegheny Senior High School student developed the project for the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search. Her research earned her a place among the competition’s national finalists.
Zheng’s method uses magnetic nanospheres to isolate tumour-derived extracellular vesicles from blood samples. It combines this approach with KRAS mutation testing to identify signs of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
In testing, the method correctly identified 87% of patients with pancreatic cancer. It also correctly identified 87.5% of individuals without the disease.
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect early because symptoms can appear after the disease has progressed. Earlier detection can improve the chances of successful treatment.
Zheng’s research therefore focuses on developing a less invasive approach for identifying pancreatic cancer through blood testing.
Her project, titled “Isolating Tumor-Derived Extracellular Vesicles with Magnetic Nanosphere Cocktail for PDAC Diagnosis,” highlights the potential of combining nanotechnology with cancer biomarkers.
