While volunteering at an assisted living center in Texas, 17-year-old Chloe Lee learned about a dangerous problem. Many elderly patients were routinely given acetaminophen (uh-see-tuh-MIH-nuh-fuhn) to treat fever and pains. When used heavily, this medication can cause liver damage. So Chloe set out to find a solution.
Chloe used computer models to design a less toxic form of acetaminophen. The modified molecule has a slightly different structure, which should make it less reactive with the liver. After months of trial and error, Chloe was able to synthesize, or produce, the chemical in the lab. The next step? Testing the modified drug on mice.