Indrani Das, an Indian-American teenager, has just walked away with the top prize in one of the most prestigious science competitions in the world – the Regeneron Science Talent Search Competition. The 17-year-old girl, who hails from New Jersey, has in addition won $ 250,000 in prize money. The competition, which is also dubbed the “Junior Nobel Prize,” is the oldest science competition in the world for students. Indrani was recognised by the committee comprising some of the top experts in the field of science and technology, for the work she had conducted on astrogliosis. It is a condition that occurs when astrocytes, which are a form of cells, start increasing in an abnormal rate due to certain form of injuries or trauma like infection, stroke etc. Excess of astrocytes leads to the destruction of neurons. Through her work, Indrani was able to demonstrate how the survival of neurons can be ensured in such cases.

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