A Nigerian born scientist, Samuel Achilefu, has won the prestigious St. Louis Award for 2014 for creating cancer-visualizing glasses.

Dr. Achilefu, a professor of radiology and biomedical engineering, and his team developed the imaging technology in cancer diagnosis into a wearable night vision-like goggles so surgeons could see the cancer cells while operating.

“They basically have to operate in the dark,” Bloomberg Businessweek quoted Dr. Achilefu, 52, as saying.

“I thought, what if we create something that let’s you see things that aren’t available to the ordinary human eye.”

Dr. Achilefu won a scholarship from the French government to study at the University of Nancy, according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a regional newspaper in St. Louis, U.S., and is the 87th person to receive the annual award since it was established in 1931.

Married with two young children, Dr. Achilefu moved to St. Louis after he was hired by Mallinckrodt to start a new research department.

“Our efforts start with two words: ‘What if?'” Dr. Achilefu said during his acceptance speech.

“These words may sound simple, but they embody the belief that each person has the potential to make a difference, if only he or she can take the time to understand the problem.”

According to Bloomberg, the researchers’ technology requires two steps: First, surgeons inject a tiny quantity of an infrared fluorescent marker into the patient’s bloodstream. The peptides contained in the marker enables it to locate cancer cells and buries itself inside.

After the tracer flows through a patient’s body and clears from non-cancerous tissue – which lasts about four hours – the operation would begin. Wearing the goggle, the doctor can inspect tumours under an infra red light that reacts with the dye, causing cancer cells to glow from within.
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http://www.premiumtimesng.com/features-and-interviews/185477-nigerian-born-scientist-wins-award-for-his-cancer-seeing-glasses.html

This is quite inspiring

He is only a nigerian by nationality.



BUT NIGERIA DIDNT GIVE HIM THE KNOWLEDGE HE HAS,..



XO Y D FAMZ

Igbos' are doing good!

This is why I rather share a country with ibos than the other parasites. Ibos invent while the other parasites fight for political appointment and oil.

God bless my beloved Nation and her people within and in diaspora.

If this man had grown up in this frustrating Nigeria he will never attain this level of briliacy. Even if he does, his dream will be killed by our useless gorvrnment.

Nigerians are blessed.just that the environment we found ourselve is not conducive and friendly.little wonder they strive aside the shore....in order news am on course to rewrite history.

samueld0:
If this man had grown up in this frustrating Nigeria he will never attain this level of briliacy. Even if he does, his dream will be killed by our useless gorvrnment.

I concur

That's nice

Why is this news not at the fp yet? But if its Tonto dike's news it will quickly be rushed to the fp. NL is seriosly becoming poo thisdays