The Telegraph reported that on her first day Armstead worked with Professor David Denning and was given the task of finding out how many people in the world had the genetic disorder.
“I thought surely you can Google it,” Armstead told The Telegraph. But the 21-year-old student was surprised to find the data was unavailable.
“I emailed every single person I could find online who had anything to do with cystic fibrosis to get as much information as I could. I spent hundreds of hours on it all summer.”
After examining data from 30 countries, Armstead discovered that half of adults who have Cystic Fibrosis are infected with a fungus called aspergillus.
Her work, which is featured in a leading research journal, will help doctors diagnose and treat the condition.
Cystic Fibrosis is the most common, genetically acquired, life-shortening chronic illness affecting young Australians today, according to Cystic Fibrosis Federation Australia.
