With a number of lives taken away by cancer, researchers have still not given up on trying to find a cure. In Sri Lanka, there are many cancer patients who cannot afford to buy the particular medicine due to soaring prices. Recently, Dr. Hasini Jayatilaka, a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University, made it to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Science category for researching on a breakthrough in metastasis – the development of secondary malignant growth at a distance from a primary site of cancer. A past pupil of St. Bridget’s Convent, Hasini is currently working at the Department of Paediatrics at Stanford University to research extensively on this subject. Her discovery is a signaling pathway that controls how cancer cells metastasize through the body and a way to block that pathway. This has led the development of new therapeutics currently moving through the pipeline aimed at targeting tumour growth and metastasis.

Forbes 30 Under 30, is an annual encyclopedia of creative disruption featuring 600 young stars in 20 different industries.