Scientists scrambling to find a cure for COVID-19 may have some help from an unexpected source—14-year-old Anika. The youngster from Frisco, Texas, was named the winner of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge in a virtual event held on October 12—13, 2020, for her groundbreaking research that could lead to a cure for the coronavirus.

科学家们正忙于寻找新冠肺炎的治疗方法，他们可能会从14岁的阿妮卡身上得到一些意想不到的帮助。在2020年10月12日至13日举行的一场虚拟活动中，这名来自德克萨斯州弗里斯科的年轻人获得了"3M青年科学家挑战赛"的冠军，因为她开创性的研究可能会帮助找到冠状病毒的治疗方法。

Anika, who had been in eighth grade at the time of entry, had initially intended to research a compound that could bind the common flu virus protein and prevent the affliction from spreading. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she and her 3M mentor—Dr. Mahfuza Ali—decided to focus their efforts on identifying a molecule that could encompass the so-called "spike protein" that coronavirus uses to invade human cells. Restraining the viral protein could potentially stop its entry into the cells and curb the spread of the infectious disease.

阿妮卡在参赛时已经读八年级了，她最初打算研究一种可以结合普通流感病毒蛋白并阻止疾病传播的化合物。然而，在新冠肺炎疫情爆发后，她和她的3M导师马赫福扎·阿里博士决定集中精力鉴定一种分子，这种分子可以包含冠状病毒用来入侵人类细胞的所谓"刺突蛋白"。抑制病毒蛋白有可能阻止其进入细胞，从而抑制传染病的传播。

"After spending so much time researching about pandemics, viruses, and drug discovery, it was crazy to think that I was actually living through something like this," Anika said. "Because of the immense severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and the drastic impact it had made on the world in such a short time, I, with the help of my mentor, changed directions to target the SARS-CoV-2 virus."

"在花了那么多时间研究流行病、病毒以及研发药物之后，一想到我真的经历了这样的事情，我就觉得很疯狂，"阿妮卡说。"由于新冠肺炎疫情的严重程度和在如此短的时间内对世界造成的巨大影响，在导师的帮助下，我改变了方向，将目标对准了SARS-CoV-2病毒。"

Her extensive research, which included using multiple computer programs to analyze almost 700 million compounds, led to the discovery of a promising molecule. If scientists are able to verify the accuracy of her findings, the molecule could help researchers develop a drug to contain COVID-19.

她进行了广泛的研究，包括使用多种计算机程序分析了近7亿种化合物，最终发现了一种很有前景的分子。如果科学家能够验证她的发现的准确性，这种分子有可能帮助研究人员开发一种遏制新冠肺炎的药物。

"This is a virus, and it has many proteins in it, and you need to find a size in that virus so that you can deactivate the virus so that it does not latch onto a human cell," Ali told Good Morning America. "What essentially she's doing is closing the door from the get-go of the coronavirus so that it cannot latch onto the human cell and then it cannot multiply and transfer from human to human."

"这是一种病毒。它含有许多蛋白质，你需要在这种病毒中找到某种尺寸的蛋白质，这样才能实现病毒灭活，使它不会附着在人类细胞上，"阿里告诉《早安美国》。"实际上，她所做的就是从冠状病毒一开始就关闭这扇门，这样它就不能附着在人类细胞上，也就不能繁殖，不能在人与人之间传播了。"

Though thrilled at the accolades she has been receiving, Anika is not done fighting COVID-19. The young girl plans to use a portion of her $25,000 prize money to further develop her research with the help of virologists and drug development specialists. She also intends to donate some of her winnings to her nonprofit organization, AcademyAid, that "helps underrepresented students receive a well-rounded education by encouraging STEM and providing supplies to underserved schools in India."

尽管对自己获得的荣誉感到兴奋，但阿妮卡并没有结束与新冠肺炎的战斗。这名年轻的女孩计划，在病毒学家和药物开发专家的帮助下，用她所获得的2.5万美元奖金中的一部分进一步进行她的研究。她还打算将奖金的一部分捐给一个名为"学会援助"的非营利组织。该组织旨在"通过鼓励科学技术和为印度服务水平低下的学校提供物资来帮助弱势学生接受全面的教育。"

Now in its 13th year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge is an annual national competition that invites students in grades 5—8 to find a unique solution to an everyday problem. In addition to the prestigious title of "America's Top Young Scientist," the grand-prize winner receives an exclusive mentorship with a 3M scientist, a $25,000 cash prize, and a special destination trip. The second and third place winners each receive $1,000 in prize money and a special destination trip.

今年是"3M青年科学家挑战赛"的第13年，它是一项一年一度的全国性竞赛。参赛者为5至8年级的学生，旨在找到解决日常问题的独特方案。除了享有"美国顶级青年科学家"的美誉之外，大奖得主还将获得3M公司一位科学家的独家指导、2.5万美元的现金奖励和一次特殊目的地旅行。第二名和第三名每人可获得1千美元的现金奖励和一次特殊目的地旅行。

知识积累：

1.virtual adj. made to appear to exist by the use of computer software, for example on the Internet （通过计算机软件，如在互联网上）模拟的，虚拟的

2.groundbreaking adj. making new discoveries; using new methods 开创性的；创新的；革新的

3.affliction n. pain and suffering or sth that causes it 折磨；痛苦

4.molecule n. the smallest unit, consisting of a group of atoms, into which a substance can be divided without a change in its chemical nature 分子

5.curb v. to control or limit sth, especially sth bad 控制，抑制，限定，约束（不好的事物）

6.drastic adj. extreme in a way that has a sudden, serious or violent effect on sth 极端的；急剧的；严厉的；猛烈的

7.contain v. to prevent sth harmful from spreading or getting worse 防止……蔓延（或恶化）；遏制

8.deactivate v. to make sth such as a device or chemical process stop working 使（仪器等）停止工作；使（化学过程）灭活化（或减活化、钝化）

9.latch onto sb/sth to become attached to sb/sth 变得依附于

10.accolade n. praise or an award for an achievement that people admire 荣誉

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