17-year-old Pennsylvania student Audrey Zheng develops pancreatic cancer test that correctly detects 87% of cases and rules out disease in 87.5% of people

A 17-year-old student from Pennsylvania Audrey Zheng is drawing attention for developing a promising bioengineering approach that could help detect pancreatic cancer earlier, when treatment options may be more effective.

Audrey Zheng, a senior at North Allegheny Senior High School in Wexford, Pennsylvania, developed the pancreatic cancer detection method as part of her Regeneron Science Talent Search project. Her research focuses on tiny biological particles circulating in the blood and uses magnetic nanospheres to isolate those linked to pancreatic cancer, as per Society for Science.

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Audrey Zheng's pancreatic cancer research explained

Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to diagnose in its early stages because it can remain asymptomatic until the disease has progressed. Zheng's project explores whether microscopic particles released by cells into the bloodstream could provide an earlier warning.

According to the Society for Science, most human cells regularly release small packets called extracellular vesicles into the blood. These vesicles carry biological information from their cells of origin, making them potentially useful for detecting changes associated with cancer.

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For her project, Zheng used a cocktail of three antibodies designed to bind to cancer-associated molecules. The antibodies were attached to magnetic nanospheres, allowing the system to target and separate tumor-derived extracellular vesicles from the much larger number of normal vesicles found in blood samples.

Method looks for cancer-linked KRAS mutations

After isolating the targeted vesicles, Zheng examined their DNA for mutations in the KRAS gene. KRAS mutations are strongly associated with pancreatic cancer and can provide an additional molecular signal that cancerous cells are present.

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The approach therefore combines two signals: first, the surface characteristics of the vesicles and then the genetic information contained inside them. This could potentially make blood-based detection more precise than relying on a single biological marker.

The results were notable. Zheng's method correctly identified 87% of people who had pancreatic cancer and correctly identified 87.5% of people who did not have the disease, according to the Society for Science.

While the research is not yet a clinical diagnostic test for widespread patient use, the findings highlight the potential of extracellular vesicles and nanotechnology in cancer research.

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Pennsylvania student becomes Regeneron Science Talent Search finalist

Zheng's work earned her a place among the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search finalists, one of the country's prominent science and mathematics competitions for high school seniors.

Her project is titled “Isolating Tumor-Derived Extracellular Vesicles With Magnetic Nanosphere Cocktail for PDAC Diagnosis.” She presented the research during the 2026 Science Talent Search activities in Washington, D.C.

Beyond her laboratory work, Zheng is co-president of her school's math and physics club and captain of the tennis team. She is also the founder and president of The Food Lounge Pittsburgh, a nonprofit through which she has organized more than 50 volunteer events supporting food banks and community kitchens.

From pancreatic cancer detection to food allergy testing

Zheng is continuing to explore the potential of magnetic nanosphere technology. Her next project involves adapting the technology into a portable device designed to detect common food allergens.

Her pancreatic cancer research demonstrates how bioengineering, molecular biology and nanotechnology can be combined to investigate difficult medical problems. Although further research and clinical validation would be needed before such a technique could become a routine cancer screening tool, the project offers another example of how student-led scientific research is exploring new approaches to early disease detection.