Young Manitoba science wiz wins big in BioGenius Challenge
Wang beat 20 other students in competition, heading to Ottawa with his research to represent Manitoba
A young Winnipeg scientist is working to find a cure to a form of heart disease.
Eighteen-year-old Ryan Wang has won first place in the Sanofi BioGenius Challenge for Manitoba.
"It's quite amazing and it's still something that I have to take in, I guess," said Wang. "I've found this journey very rewarding, and it's wonderful to think of how big this impact could possibly be."
The challenge gives students the opportunity to conduct research in a science lab.
During Wang's research, he discovered a way to control a protein that can lead to cardiac fibrosis — a disease that causes heart muscles to stiffen.
“Even though it is so prevalent, there are no treatments available for this disease, so with what we've found we can possibly develop a treatment.”
Wang beat 20 other students in the competition and is now headed to Ottawa with his research to represent Manitoba at Nationals at the end of the month.