Student Wins First at Science Fair for Bladder Cancer Treatment Research Inspired by Family Friend’s Battle

Naina Chopra from Dougherty Valley has been awarded first place at the Contra Costa Science & Engineering Fair for her research on new bladder cancer treatments. Inspired by a family friend’s battle with bladder cancer and their use of Vitamin C as an alternative treatment method, Chopra embarked on a mission to investigate the effectiveness of this compound in reducing cancer cell proliferation.

After reaching out to several labs for sponsorship, Chopra finally found one willing to support her research. For two months, she exposed bladder cancer cell cultures to varying doses of Vitamin C and discovered that it had a significant impact on cancer cell growth.

Chopra’s project, titled “Investigation of the Role of Ascorbic Acid in Reducing Bladder Cancer Presence,” was well-received at the fair where she won first place. She is now looking forward to presenting her research at the California Science & Engineering Fair and hopes that her findings can contribute to the advancement of cancer treatment.

In an email to Patch, Chopra expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to share her research and potentially offer hope to those battling cancer. She also mentioned her hope to eventually get the treatment cleared for human trials and assess the viability of ascorbic acid as a major solution for preventing further cancer growth in patients with bladder cancer.