Past Program Participants

2023–2024 Participants

Jennifer Cuddy, Shrewsbury High School, Shrewsbury, MA
Mentor: Sally C. Kent, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA

Elizabeth Foote, Southfield Christian School, Southfield, MI
Mentor: Nardhy Gomez-Lopez, Ph.D., Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI

Erin Lisi, Guy B. Phillips Middle School, Chapel Hill, NC
Mentor: Jenny P.-Y. Ting, Ph.D., The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

Kelly Thadeus, Yellow Wood Academy / Mercer Island, Mercer Island, WA
Mentor: Estelle Bettelli, Ph.D., Benaroya Research Institute, Seattle, WA

Wendy Toro, Artesia High School / ABC Unified School District, Lakewood, CA 
Mentor: Amanda M. Burkhardt, Ph.D., University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

2022–2023 Participants

Jessica Dorman, New Albany High School, New Albany, OH
Mentor: Purnima Dubey, Ph.D., The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Jason G. Econome, Stuyvesant High School, New York City, NY
Mentor: Betty Diamond, M.D., The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY

Penny Kelly, CREC Academy of Aerospace, Windsor, CT
Mentor: Laura Haynes, Ph.D., University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT

Alexander T. Paulchell, Beachwood High School, Beachwood, OH
Mentor: Parameswaran Ramakrishnan, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

2021–2022 Participants

Kate Cilluffo, John P. Stevens High School, Edison, NJ
Mentor: Lori R. Covey, Ph.D., Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ

Susan O'Meara, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Mentor: Gregg Dean, D.V.M., Ph.D., Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Mariel Rancel, Solorio Academy High School, Chicago, IL
Mentor: Alan L. Landay, Ph.D., Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL

2019–2020 Participants

Linnea Homa, Freedom Area High School, Freedom, PA
Mentor: JoAnne L. Flynn, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Amanda Laden, Wayzata High School, Plymouth, MN
Mentor: Marc K. Jenkins, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Mary Janelle Low, McCord Junior High School, Sylvania, OH
Mentor: Ritu Chakravarti, Ph.D., University of Toledo, Toledo, OH

Elizabeth Moravec, Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield, MN
Mentor: Julie K. Olson, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Minnesota, MN

Elizabeth Pelphrey, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Lexington, KY
Mentor: Subbarao Bondada, Ph.D., University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

Sheikisha Thomas, Bowie High School, Bowie, MD
Mentors: Martin F. Flajnik, Ph.D. and and Yuko Ota, Ph.D., University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, MD

2018–2019 Participants

Brittney Shaw Ahenda, Bowie High (PGCPS), Bowie, MD
Mentor: Kamal Moudgil, M.D., Ph.D., University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

Ashleigh Freeman, Princeton Senior High School, Princeton, WV
Mentor: Tesfaye Belay, Ph.D., Bluefield State College, Bluefield, WV

Russell M. Frye II, Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep, Chicago, IL
Mentor: Cathryn Nagler, Ph.D., Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Jennifer Hess, Wentzville Holt High School, Wentzville, MO
Mentor: Gaya Amarasinghe, Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

Jacqueline Katz, Princeton High School, Princeton, NJ
Mentor: Lisa K. Denzin, Ph.D., Child Health Institute of NJ, Rutgers, New Brunswick, NJ

Sarah Michaelson, Westover School, Middlebury CT
Mentor: Vijay Rathinam, D.V.M., Ph.D., University of Connecticut Health, School of Medicine, Farmington, CT

Chris Thorpe, Corvallis High School, Corvallis, OR
Mentor: Brian Dolan, Ph.D., Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

2017–2018 Participants

Sara Johnson, River Bluff High School, Lexington, SC
Mentor: Saurabh Chatterjee, Ph.D., University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

Judith Lucas-Odom, Chester-Upland School District, Chester, PA
Mentor: Christopher A. Hunter, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School, Philadelphia, PA

Laura Landry, Memphis University School, Memphis, TN
Mentor: Maureen McGargill, Ph.D., St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN

Caroline Riina, Roland Park Country School, Baltimore, MD
Mentor: Kamal Moudgil, M.D., Ph.D., University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

2016–2017 Participants

Cassandra Bonvissuto, Poland Seminary High School, Poland, OH
MentorProsper N. Boyaka, Ph.D., The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Kevin Clemente, Juanita High School, Kirkland, WA
MentorJessica A. Hamerman, Ph.D., Benaroya Research InstituteSeattle, WA

Jason Econome, Stuyvesant High School (district 2), New York, NY
MentorBetty Diamond, M.D., The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY

Doan Nguyen, Bixby High School, Bixby, OK
Mentor: T. Kent Teague, Ph.D., University of Oklahoma School of Community MedicineTulsa, OK

Heather Potts, Wayne Valley High School, Wayne, NJ
MentorPatricia A. Fitzgerald-Bocarsly, Ph.D., Rutgers New Jersey Medical  SchoolNewark, NJ

Victoria  Salo, Biddeford High School, Biddeford, ME
MentorLing Cao, M.D., Ph.D., University of New England College of Osteopathic MedicineBiddeford, ME

Rebecca Thrash, Alabama School of Fine Arts, Birmingham, AL
MentorLaurie E. Harrington, Ph.D., University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, AL

2015–2016 Participants

Gina Castellanos Ellsworth, Haverhill High School, Haverhill, MA
Mentor: Daniel G. Remick, M.D., Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA

Antonio Gamboa, Garey High School, Pomona, CA
Mentor: Stephen A. O'Barr, Ph.D., Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA

Aaron Mathieu, Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, Acton, MA
Mentor: Neal Silverman, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA

Sarah Peterson, Denver Public Schools, Denver, CO
Mentor: Mark J. Soloski, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

Jeremy M. Resmann, Soldan I.S. High School, St. Louis Public Schools, St. Louis, MO
Mentor: Wayne M. Yokoyama, M.D., Washington University School of Medicine and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, St. Louis, MO

Gregory Shenk, Ph.D., Academy of Aerospace and Engineering, Hartford, CT
Mentor: Kamal M. Khanna, Ph.D., University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT

Patricia Weethee, Grove City High School, Grove City OH
Mentor: Amy E. Lovett-Racke, Ph.D., Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, OH

Michele Witkowski, Edison High School, Edison, NJ
Mentor: Lisa K. Denzin, Ph.D., Child Health Institute of NJ/Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ

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