Forty students have been announced as finalists in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, with one finalist being mentored by a faculty member from Stony Brook University. Emma Wen, a student at John L. Miller Great Neck North High School in New York, was guided by Agnieszka B. Bialkowska, an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the Renaissance School of Medicine.
Emma's project is titled "AUM-302, A Novel Triple PIM/PI3K/mTOR Inhibitor, Offers Promising Potential in Reducing the Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Spheroids and Organoids." The research focuses on pancreatic cancer treatments and employs three-dimensional organoids derived from patients to explore new therapeutic approaches.
The Regeneron competition is recognized as the oldest and most prestigious science and math contest for high school seniors in the United States. It aims to inspire future scientific leaders. This year's finalists were chosen from 300 scholars and 2,471 entrants based on their originality, creativity, achievements, and leadership qualities.
Finalists will participate in a week-long event in March that includes rigorous judging for over $1.8 million in awards. They will also engage with leading scientists and present their research to the public both physically and virtually on March 9. The top ten winners will be revealed during an awards ceremony streamed live from Washington D.C. on March 11.
Each finalist is guaranteed at least $25,000, with top prizes ranging from $40,000 to $250,000.
"Congratulations to this year’s remarkable finalists," said George D. Yancopoulos, MD, president and chief scientific officer of Regeneron. "Regeneron now helps millions of people around the world facing serious diseases... I see that same potential to transform our world in these finalists."