• Drew Caffrey, a student at West Central High School, conducted research in the Surendran Lab which focuses on kidney structure and function.

• Benjamin Geis, a student at O’Gorman High School in Sioux Falls, worked alongside scientists in the Roux Lab, which focuses on understanding the nuclear envelope.

• Arthur Tao, a student at Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls, conducted research in the Pilaz Lab, which focuses on understanding the migration of neurons during development.

• Vanessa An, a student at Brookings High School, researched alongside scientists in the Warnhoff Lab which focuses on understanding molybdenum cofactor.

Director of the program, LJ Pilaz PhD, believes the PROMISE Scholar program is a benefit to both students and the research facility. “With this program, we not only contribute to the education and development of young minds, but we also potentially cultivate future researchers who might one day make significant contributions to their respective fields. At the bench, high school students usually get mentored by trainees in the lab who have little experience in this. Therefore, it helps those trainees learn these critical skills. Also, high schoolers can bring new perspectives to a problem and thus really contribute to the lab’s research. It’s a win-win situation for both the students and the research facilities.”

Two of the Scholars, Vanessa and Arthur, reflected on their summer:

Describe your project and how it aligned with the overall aims of your lab.

Vanessa: The Warnhoff lab’s research explores molybdenum cofactor (Moco) biology using the model organism C. elegans. My project focused on studying whether the interactions between two genes affected Moco metabolism, which was helpful to the lab as they hope to find and understand genes that play a role in Moco homeostasis and discover how Moco is stabilized within C. elegans.

Arthur: My project helped provide insight into the potential function of the ZF1-3 region of a transcriptional factor (Zbtb7a). Previously, the Pilaz lab has observed significant variability in luciferase assay measuring Hes5 protein expression in mammalian cells (N2As) with a ZF1-3 knockout. My project aimed to do luciferase assay in a new mammalian cell type (3T3) to visualize Hes5 protein expression and to model cortical development in mouse.

Describe your experience over the summer. How has it impacted you? What are you taking away from the experience?

Vanessa: The experience of being a PROMISE Scholar is extremely unique. Rather than just being part of a lab, I was part of a whole scientific community. I got to connect with amazing people who made me feel at home. I will treasure all the memories I had during the ten weeks. I got a great sense of what being a researcher would be like as a career. I got to go to all the events an employed researcher would attend, like journal clubs, seminars, data clubs, and more. I also experienced the ups and downs of research. Some of my experiments didn't work out, and I learned a lot from my mistakes. When my experiments returned results, I felt happy and proud.

Arthur: First, it fostered my curiosity and love for learning. Engaging in hands-on research ignited my passion for scientific exploration and deepened my desire to continually expand my knowledge. I learned and became familiar with lab techniques such as cell culture, luciferase assay, co-immunoprecipitation, and western blotting. Through practical experience, I acquired a solid foundation in various advanced lab techniques, equipping me with practical skills that are crucial for future research endeavors. Second, I made connections with scientists and professionals in the field to start my network and potential mentor pool. Building relationships with established scientists and professionals provided me with valuable networking opportunities. These connections will undoubtedly serve as a valuable resource as I embark on my academic and professional journey in the field of research.

What was the most rewarding part of the experience?

Vanessa: The most rewarding part of the experience was presenting the poster at the end of the internship. I got to see ten weeks of my hard work pay off into something I could share with the rest of the community. I also got to meet three amazing fellow PROMISE Scholars who made the experience so much better.

Arthur: Growing comfortable with Sanford Research and my lab. Initially, it was extremely overwhelming to process the new work environment and to familiarize myself with the lab’s research and expectations. However, eventually I found independence and felt confident in my abilities to think like a scientist and execute basic protocols. By the end of the program, I felt like a true scientist.

What would you tell a student who is considering applying for the PROMISE Scholar program? Any advice?

Vanessa: Do it! They will not only experience what it is like working in a lab but also get a feel of the highly driven, fun scientific community. I suggest that they be ready for the ups and downs of the experience. Experiments won't always yield results and there will be stress, however, they should know that their lab members and fellow PROMISE Scholars are always there for support and breaks.

Arthur: The program offers a truly holistic research experience that goes beyond just performing experiments or learning techniques. It provides a well-rounded exposure to various aspects of the research process, helping participants develop a deeper understanding of the scientific journey. Read and try to digest the literature! It gets easier over time. Trust the process and you will do great!

For LJ Pilaz, it is a pleasure to be able to provide this opportunity to students. “I am just excited to be involved in this one-of-a-kind program. How many institutions give high schoolers the opportunity to spend two months in a lab? I would have loved to do it at that age, this is so cool.”

The goals of the PROMISE Scholar program are to:

Applications for the PROMISE Scholar program open in November. Check out the Scholar Page to learn more.