Great Neck teen wins Davidson Fellowship for M-CATCH TB test
A 16-year-old from Great Neck, New York, has created a new blood test called M-CATCH that uses CRISPR to spot tuberculosis (TB), including drug-resistant types.
Unlike the usual sputum tests, this one just needs a blood sample, making things way simpler for people who can't give sputum.
His work earned him the 2026 Davidson Fellowship and a $50,000 scholarship.
M-CATCH detects TB and drug resistance
M-CATCH uses CRISPR guide RNAs and a microfluidics chip to quickly find TB and check for drug resistance in one go.
It's designed to make large-scale testing more practical, especially in places without fancy labs, so more people can get diagnosed.
Student Jin balances lab work, leadership
Besides inventing cool tech, Jin leads his school's swim team, co-presides over his DECA chapter, and co-founded Project LIFE, a mission to improve education and access to the bone marrow registry.
He's showing that you can make an impact both inside and outside the lab.