Her team created a prototype of a mobile app providing systematic information about HIV.

The app would also connect users to experts in the field and control a smart medical kit which could remind the HIV-positive patients to take their medicine on time.

Team members had different tasks, such as market research, the design of software and the development of hardware.

She was glad to see that their embryonic project attracted other open hack participants to pay attention to public efforts to reduce HIV infections and care for vulnerable patients.

Shan is now looking forward to visiting the Geneva headquarters of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS that offers strategic information and technical support to guide efforts against the pandemic worldwide.

"I hope to learn about how the program leads effective, comprehensive and coordinated action on AIDS and contributes to the global fight against the epidemic in my future career," says Shan.

Speaking of why she took part in the open hack, she says that the competition showed a global vision to serve the fulfillment of United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and encouraged contestants to study health and well-being in the digital age.

This is attractive to a medical student who is eager to use cross-disciplinary approaches to solve global problems.

"Separately, the 24-hour competition won't distract me from doing my experiments for a long period of time," says Shan, who usually spends her time at the laboratory.