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The winner of this year’s Stripe Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition has received a rapturous reception on her return to school in Co Kerry.
Aoibheann Daly, a fourth-year student at Mercy Secondary School, Mounthawk in Tralee, secured the title for her brain cancer diagnosis tool, “GlioScope”.
The 15-year-old was inspired to research the project, which combines science and technology, after studying a three-week medicine course in Dublin City University.
“We came across brain tumours there, specifically glioblastomas and it just shook me that the survival rate was so low. The five-year survival rate is just 5%,” she said.
“I was learning to code at the same time and I was wondering if I could combine them, I suppose, to try and help.”
The research involves an artificial intelligence deep-learning model that allows doctors to predict what genetic mutations are likely to be present from an MRI brain scan, reducing the reliance on invasive biopsies.
The principal and teaching staff are immensely proud of the teenager.
“There are so many people suffering with cancer and we don’t have all the answers but she’s trying and she really wants to make a difference,” said Eimear Nolan, science club coordinator at Mercy Secondary School, “and I really think she will, and I think that’s unbelievable”.
The school has a dedicated STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) academy to nurtures talent and innovation among its students.
Principal Pat Fleming said the academy is the young scientist, robotics and makerspace club, and encourages curiosity and an interest in science and technology.
“It is really central to what we do and it is really great to see girls especially embrace the STEM subjects,” he said.
“We have so many girls taking part in the young scientist and to have a young girl winning is really inspiring.”
In addition to receiving a prize of €7,500, Aoibheann will go on to represent Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists in Kiel in Germany in September.
