Student Naina Chopra Wins First Place at Contra Costa Science & Engineering Fair for Bladder Cancer Research

Naina Chopra, a student from Dougherty Valley, has won first place at the Contra Costa Science & Engineering Fair for her research on new bladder cancer treatments. Her project, titled “Investigation of the Role of Ascorbic Acid in Reducing Bladder Cancer Presence,” was well-received at the fair and earned her the top prize.

Chopra was inspired to conduct this research after learning that a family friend with bladder cancer was using Vitamin C as an alternative treatment method. She reached out to several labs for sponsorship and finally found one willing to support her research. For two months, Chopra exposed bladder cancer cell cultures to varying doses of Vitamin C and discovered that it inhibited cancer cell proliferation.

Chopra 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, she 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.