Oxbridge Academy rising seniors Alexandria Bustabad and Jacob Green spent their summer doing scientific research as part of an internship at Scripps Research as William R. Kenan Fellows in Jupiter.
To complete their internship program, both presented on their respective research topics. Green presented on “Cell Adhesion: Interactions of Membranes with alpha-Cateninin,” which he researched under the instruction of Dr. Tina Izard. Bustabad worked in the lab of Dr. Patricia McDonald and presented on her work, “Investigating Signaling Mechanisms of GPR119, a Target for T2DM and Obesity.”
“We are so proud of our students for being selected for the prestigious Scripps internship,” Oxbridge science teacher Ben Matzen said. “Most importantly, we are excited for them to use what they’ve learned in our classrooms and apply it at a scientific research institute with some of the world’s most esteemed scientists at Scripps.”
The High School Student Summer Internship Program on the Florida campus of Scripps Research is an eight-week, hands-on research experience for high school students in Palm Beach County. The program is designed to expose students to a variety of contemporary issues in basic biomedical research, provide hands-on laboratory experience under the supervision of a Scripps Research scientist, and motivate and prepare students for continuing education in the sciences. Further, the program emphasizes the real-life scientific process, including: research planning, bench experience, experimental design, data analysis and interaction with laboratory personnel.
The internship program also includes scientific seminars throughout the course of the summer that introduce students to a wide array of research topics. The program is made possible by a grant from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust.
Scripps Research offers a number of K-12 education outreach programs at its Florida campus to “advance bioscience education and awareness throughout the State of Florida” as part of the nonprofit institute’s commitment to the community.
