Wayzata Senior Chosen for Respected Science Internship
Bar Harbor, Maine—Eric Zhang, Wayzata High School class of 2009, has been selected to participate in this year’s installment of The Jackson Laboratory’s Summer Student Program. The prestigious program draws high school and undergraduate students to the coast of Maine for an intensive, hands-on learning experience. For eight weeks, Zhang will study genetics under the guidance of a staff scientist.
In Dr. David Harrison's laboratory, Eric will be studying the genetics of heart disease. Specifically, he will be working to identify the types of stem cells the human body recruits for repair purposes following a heart attack.
The Jackson Lab Summer Student Program is Zhang’s first research experience. His time at the Lab will be good preparation as he approaches undergraduate studies in biochemistry (he also wants to study literature) and medical school further down the road.
Eric joins 28 other college and high school students in this summer research opportunity. Their individual projects vary from genomics to development to bioinformatics.
Participants reside at Highseas, a nearby century-old mansion, and revel in the many opportunities that Mount Desert Island offers. Weekend camping trips, spontaneous hikes throughout Acadia National Park and a white water rafting adventure complement their time spent uncovering new data in the lab.
Since its inception in 1924, the Summer Student Program has led many students into the world of professional research. Eighty-percent of the program’s more than 2,200 alumni have gone on to successful careers in medicine or biomedical research. Two particular program graduates, Drs. David Baltimore and Howard Temin, received the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The summer interns are an integral part of the Jackson Laboratory’s operation, providing fresh perspectives and keen enthusiasm.
The Jackson Laboratory (www.jax.org) is a nonprofit biomedical research institution and National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center based in Bar Harbor, Maine. Its mission is to discover the genetic basis for preventing, treating and curing human diseases, and to enable research and education for the global biomedical community.
Contact: Joyce Peterson, 207-288-6058
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Office of Public Information
The Jackson Laboratory
600 Main Street
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609-1500
Phone: 207-288-6051
Fax: 207-288-6076
Email: news@jax.org
