Hillingdon school wins top science award with 'smart glasses' for cancer patients

The Douay Martyrs team

A team of Year 13 students from The Douay Martyrs Catholic Secondary School in Ickenham has won third place, competing against 69 schools nationally in the prestigious Cancer Research UK Convergence Science Centre Schools Contest, held at Imperial College London.

The competition challenged students to develop a technology innovation that would make the cancer treatment journey more supportive for patients focusing on emotional wellbeing, guidance, and comfort.

The Douay Martyrs team consists of Chiwen, Harshil, Kyle, Emily, and Ridwan, who created 'NeuroLens' an original concept for smart glasses designed to support cancer survivors in managing stress and anxiety following treatment.

NeuroLens uses innovative biosensing technology to detect cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone, and responds with gentle, non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) to help calm the body's stress response.

The glasses are supported by a companion app that provides guided relaxation, emotional check-ins, and mood tracking, giving survivors personalised support as they recover both mentally and emotionally.

Judges praised the students for the creativity, scientific strength, and real-world impact of their idea. As part of their award, the team secured £500 for the school to invest in future STEM opportunities. The students have also been invited to take part in a mentoring session with an Imperial College London academic, as well as to feature in a Cancer Research UK publication later this year.

Speaking about the achievement, Mr D Patel, Head of Sixth Form, commented: "I am immensely proud of our students for their outstanding achievement. Winning third place nationally for their NeuroLens concept is a testament to the hard work, creativity, and scientific rigor of our Sixth Form students. Their ability to fuse cutting-edge science withgenuine empathy for cancer survivors embodies the aspirational and compassionate values we champion at The Douay Martyrs. This recognition from Cancer Research UK and Imperial College London is well-deserved, and we are excited for the STEM opportunities this award will unlock for future students.

LINK

The Douay Martyrs Catholic Secondary School: www.dowat.co.uk/91/the-douay-martyrs-catholic-secondary-school