This summer, four HHS seniors—Francis Anyanwu, Shirley Kong, Roari Lopez, and Lucy Uh—participated in the St. Jude High School Research Immersion Program, held from June 3 to July 26, 2024. Selected from over 100 applicants for their strong academic backgrounds and enthusiasm for scientific research, these students spent eight weeks collaborating with peers from other schools and working closely with professionals on challenging projects that expanded their horizons.
Francis worked in the Hematology department, where he and fellow interns studied treatments for sickle cell anemia using mouse models. Through dissection and injections, they analyzed the effects of various treatments, furthering their understanding of the disease. Francis’s most memorable moment was presenting their collective findings at St. Jude and Rhodes College. He values the experience of sharing their research with professionals, which helped him understand the broader impact of their work and reinforced his appreciation for persistence and teamwork.
In the Proteomics and Metabolomics department, Shirley collaborated with her team to create advanced visualizations of protein data. Her work included developing heatmaps to show protein intensities and measuring peptide similarities. She also contributed to the creation of a website using RShiny for spatial mass spectrometry data visualization, translating complex data into interactive formats. Outside the lab, Shirley enjoyed the collaborative environment in the “huddle room” just as much, where she and her peers worked together and participated in specialized classes, gaining insights into professional expectations.
Roari spent her summer in the Host-Microbe Interactions department, where she and her peers explored the evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Their experiments with streptococcus strains focused on how bacteria acquire and adapt DNA to resist antibiotics. During the process, Roari faced challenges, such as unresponsive bacteria, which tested her patience but ultimately highlighted the importance of perseverance. Outside the lab, she also enjoyed bonding with other interns over ice cream, which enriched her understanding of the importance of different perspectives when connecting with her friends, family, mentors, and teachers.
Meanwhile, Lucy worked in the Structural Biology department, where her group focused on gene expression and protein analysis. They conducted experiments with DNA samples and monkey kidney cells, testing various gene insert combinations and analyzing protein kinases like CDK16, cyclin Y, and 14-3-3 proteins. This collaborative research was a valuable window for Lucy, as it not only confirmed her interest in a science major but also improved her public speaking skills. Combined with the opportunity to build new connections and participate in team activities, she believes that this program greatly contributed to her understanding of scientific research and taught her many great lessons that she continues to retain as she steps closer to graduation.
As these students enter their senior year, their involvement in the St. Jude High School Research Immersion Program stands out as a transformative experience. By collaborating with their peers and mentors, they’ve deepened their understanding of scientific research and developed essential skills—patience, adaptability, and resilience—that will support them in future endeavors. Their journey at St. Jude marks the beginning of an exciting path ahead, and we can’t wait to see where their continued growth and achievements will take them as they walk across the stage in May and beyond.