Meet Ekansh Mittal, the 2024 Portland high school grad who won a national award for his cancer research

At only 18 years old, Ekansh Mittal already has a wealth of scientific experience under his belt.

As a sixth grader at Meadow Park Middle School, he pitched his first research project to a local lab: a series of experiments testing whether natural herbs and spices could inhibit bacterial growth. During the pandemic, he learned Python, a programming language, and started doing computational biology projects.

"I fell in love with biology and research," Mittal said.

Now, the 2024 Westview High School graduate's penchant for scientific research has earned him national recognition.

Mittal was one of 15 winners of the 2024 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes , a program that honors young leaders between the ages of 8 and 18. He was awarded for his cancer research , which uses machine learning to develop personalized treatment plans and improve early detection in breast cancer patients. He also received a $10,000 prize.

The project Mittal submitted to the Barron Prize was split into two parts. The first used machine learning and computer science techniques to determine what genes cause resistance against cancer-fighting drugs in breast cancer patients. Then, he created a 3D organoid model — a model derived from stem cells that mimics human organs — to test whether targeting those genes killed more or less cancer cells.

Targeting genes in this way proved more effective than traditional chemotherapy when it came to killing cancer cells while still keeping healthy cells alive. His method could be applied in clinical trials by changing how specific drugs are chosen.

Previous research by Mittal's focused on early detection, creating an alternative way to screen for cancer that identified types of bacteria sometimes found in cancer patients.

His connection to this subject is personal. At 14, he visited his grandmother in India and learned she had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. She died only two months later.

"She seemingly was in perfect health — we were all up until 1 a.m. laughing and talking and connecting," Mittal said. "That got me up out of my seat. I realized that cancer isn't something far away."

Mittal has presented his research at science fairs across the country. He was a national finalist at this year's Regeneron Science Talent Search , a prestigious research competition that selects 40 high school students each year to participate in a weeklong conference.

Fielding thorough questions from judges about his research, Mittal said, was a rewarding experience, as it pushed him to consider ways he could improve.

Mittal is also passionate about supporting other youth who want to break into STEM fields — an interest that grew out of a childhood responsibility to tutor his younger sister, Anushi.

During the pandemic, he launched his own tutoring website, STEM Universe , focused on helping children develop a love for science, technology, engineering and math. Mittal teaches math and Python courses alongside Anushi.

"It's sort of a full circle moment where I got into teaching by working with my little sister, and now she's getting into teaching for the same reason," he said.

As for the $10,000 prize, Mittal plans to put the money toward his education at Stanford University, where he's about to start his first week of classes as a prospective computer science major. He hopes to continue working in computational biology research, he said, but mostly he's excited to explore his options and see what's next.