{"id":17881,"date":"2026-05-20T21:26:47","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T21:26:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/2026\/05\/20\/fostering-the-future-of-science-cold-spring-harbor-laboratory\/"},"modified":"2026-05-20T21:26:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T21:26:47","slug":"fostering-the-future-of-science-cold-spring-harbor-laboratory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/2026\/05\/20\/fostering-the-future-of-science-cold-spring-harbor-laboratory\/","title":{"rendered":"Fostering the future of science – Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory"},"content":{"rendered":"

Home<\/a> \/ News<\/a> \/ CSHL Stories and Media<\/a><\/span>
Science comes first in STEM for good reason. Whether one pursues a career in technology, engineering, or medicine, all that work is rooted in scientific knowledge and experimentation. At Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, education and research go hand in hand. That\u2019s true at every level and applied in each initiative, including the CSHL Partners for the Future<\/a> (PFF) program.
For more than three decades, the PFF program has mentored promising high school seniors from across Long Island. \u201cIt\u2019s very important to train the next generation of students,\u201d says PFF Director and CSHL Professor David Jackson<\/a>. At CSHL, training goes beyond the classroom. \u201cPFF students actively take part in cutting-edge research projects, working side-by-side with CSHL scientists.\u201d
For PFF mentors, the experience is just as rewarding. \u201cIt\u2019s been a lot of fun sharing my excitement for research with someone who\u2019s equally interested and working on it with the same level of ownership,\u201d says Dhivyaa Anandan, a graduate student in CSHL Associate Professor Camila dos Santos<\/a>\u2019 lab. \u201cI hope that through this experience, we can show students how fun and creative science can be in such a collaborative environment.\u201d
Since August 2025, Calhoun High School senior Sofia Ricci has spent a few afternoons each week at CSHL. And not only for the idyllic scenery, though that\u2019s definitely a plus. Ricci is one of 12 seniors enrolled in the PFF Class of 2026. While high school extracurriculars typically revolve around sports, clubs, or theater, hers also include contributing to the dos Santos lab\u2019s groundbreaking breast cancer research.
\u201cWhen I stepped into the lab for the first time, I was overcome with excitement,\u201d Ricci says. \u201cI went from learning about things in textbooks to actually seeing and doing those things in real life. It was eye-opening, and Dhivyaa has been so supportive and encouraging.\u201d
Most days, Ricci heads to the lab right after school lets out. Once she arrives, her assigned mentor, Anandan, will give her a rundown of the experiments they\u2019ll run that day. Throughout the school year, there are many, each providing invaluable hands-on experience.
\u201cIt\u2019s important to realize how different textbook biology can be from experimenting,\u201d Anandan says. \u201cSometimes memorizing facts can feel very tedious. Thinking about a question yourself and figuring out how to answer it is very rewarding for students.\u201d
PFF students and their mentors share their experiences working together in CSHL\u2019s state-of-the-art laboratories.
Ricci and Anandan\u2019s project investigates probiotics\u2019 impact on cancer development in mammary glands. Using patient tissue samples and mouse models, their research aims to reveal how diet influences tumor formation and structure.
As impressive as that sounds, it\u2019s just one example of the kind of work PFF participants do every day at the Lab. Like Ricci, Stony Brook School senior Zhaojin (David) Guo starts the day meeting with his mentor, Vijina Varapparambath<\/a>, a postdoc in David Jackson’s lab. There, the team focuses on Arabidopsis<\/em>, a model organism central to plant biology research.
\u201cEvery day is different,\u201d Guo says. \u201cSometimes I\u2019m in the lab running PCR tests, preparing the gels we use in our experiments, or phenotyping specimens. Other days, I work at Uplands Farm<\/a> in the greenhouse where we keep our seeds and potted plants.”
Guo and Varapparambath study mobile mRNA. In plants, cells communicate with each other via small channels called plasmodesma. The team focuses on how mRNA carries information between cells, and on the specific genes involved in the process. However, Guo\u2019s work isn\u2019t limited to a single research project.
\u201cDavid has also been helping us streamline experiments,\u201d Varapparambath adds. \u201cHe\u2019ll notice something and say, \u2018I have an idea to make this easier\u2019 and come back a week later with a device or machine we can use. The whole lab has been impressed with him.\u201d
For Guo, the feeling is mutual. \u201cEven though my background was in engineering, I\u2019ve been able to apply that to biology and genetics and gain a lot of knowledge,\u201d he says. \u201cHaving a supportive mentor in that learning process has been tremendous.\u201d
Since 1990, PFF has paired more than 200 young scientists with CSHL researchers. Students entering their senior year are nominated by their school\u2019s science department chair. Through an interview process not too different from what they might expect after college, each candidate competes for the opportunity to join a lab specializing in one of CSHL\u2019s primary research areas\u2014cancer<\/a>, plant biology<\/a> and genomics<\/a>, neuroscience<\/a>, or quantitative biology and AI<\/a>. Although some schools have a longer history with the program than others, it\u2019s open to all.
\u201cI\u2019m only the second person from my school to be part of the program,\u201d says Hicksville High School senior Shelby Fraser. \u201cI\u2019d been through summer science programs before, but nothing compared to PFF.\u201d
While Fraser had always been into nature and the environment, the program offered a new and exciting opportunity to explore the biomedical implications of his interests. Working alongside mentor Liam Shanley, a grad student in Professor Chris Vakoc<\/a>\u2019s lab, Fraser was able to design his own project, ask questions about connections between biology and medicine, and bring his experiences to the team\u2019s research.
\u201cWorking with Shelby is fun because, while he\u2019s an exceptionally bright scientist, there\u2019s still so much he doesn\u2019t know yet just by virtue of being young,\u201d Shanley says. \u201cIt\u2019s been a nice reminder that everyone, me included, is allowed to not know things. He asks questions with such grace it reminds me to do the same.\u201d
For Portledge High School senior Avery Joshua-Tor, doing research alongside CSHL Associate Professor Lucas Cheadle<\/a> offered the chance to work at the intersection of biology, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence.
Joshua-Tor and Cheadle\u2019s project explores mechanisms behind the placenta\u2019s role in neurodevelopmental disorders. Using AI and coding to analyze experimental data sparked in Joshua-Tor curiosity about how such tools can be applied to other areas of research.
\u201cI was able to see biological processes up close and how things like machine learning can be used for experiments,\u201d she says. \u201cGoing forward, I definitely want to pursue this and make my model better than it is right now.\u201d
\u201cAvery is bright, ambitious, and curious\u2014all fantastic qualities for a young scientist,\u201d Cheadle adds. \u201cShe asks questions that are difficult to answer and cut to the core of biology. That\u2019s a sign of an independent thinker, and it\u2019s been a pleasure to work with someone with that level of talent and adaptability.\u201d
For Cheadle, PFF\u2019s value to students and mentors was clear from the start. In fact, when he was in high school, he took part in a similar program at the University of Oklahoma. Today, he credits this experience with kickstarting his career.
\u201cThat early exposure to science set me up for success,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen I got to college, I was able to join a lab quickly. Then, when I started my own lab, I was energized by working with younger folks because I had an opportunity to usher talented people into this world of research. It\u2019s one of my favorite parts of working in science.\u201d
After seven months of immersive lab work, students present their research to friends, family, and fellow scientists at CSHL’s PFF Symposium. Modeled on CSHL\u2019s annual Symposium on Quantitative Biology<\/a>, the PFF event features each student giving a 10-minute talk about their research, followed by a short Q&A.
For the students\u2014who come to CSHL from different communities\u2014it\u2019s an opportunity to connect with like-minded teens while gaining invaluable experience in an area that can be daunting for even the most seasoned professionals: public speaking.
\u201cThe symposium is a check on my understanding,\u201d Guo says. \u201cWhen I present to a public audience, I want to make sure everything I\u2019m talking about is true. On the other hand, I\u2019m also looking forward to seeing all the other students and hearing about their adventures in the lab.\u201d
Joshua-Tor agrees. \u201cEveryone in PFF is engaged and passionate about what they\u2019re doing,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s fun to be with people so curious, and it creates a great environment for asking questions. Plus, everyone\u2019s working on different topics, from plants to cancer to neuroscience, so you learn a lot.\u201d
For relatives and schoolteachers in attendance, the event can be even more eye-opening. \u201cThe students are doing cutting-edge research here at CSHL,\u201d says Jackson. \u201cMany people don\u2019t realize how difficult that is and how important discoveries can make life better.\u201d
Science is a lifelong learning process, Jackson adds, so it\u2019s important to get students involved and excited early. Whether they come away from the program with co-author credits on published research or a better understanding of what the life of a scientist entails, they often head to graduation with a sense of direction that\u2019s remarkable for someone their age.
That\u2019s clear from listening to Ricci talk about her future plans. \u201cI definitely want to pursue science in college,\u201d she says. \u201cBeing here has made me realize how much I love working in a lab and working with tissues. I\u2019ve been thinking about homing in on molecular biology or neuropathology and pursuing a Ph.D. from there.\u201d
For at least one student, the next step on that journey has already been decided. \u201cI recently committed to the University of Toronto on a scholarship,\u201d says Fraser. \u201cI\u2019m not sure what I want to specialize in yet, but I definitely want to pursue biology. Undergrad is where you do much of the groundwork that sets up your Ph.D., and it\u2019s great I have this experience. I think I\u2019ll be able to get into a lab very, very early.\u201d
Such confidence is not unfounded. Because PFF is designed with education and experimentation in mind, it enables students to approach college professors with research opportunities they might not have considered. Thus, it continues to further the frontiers of scientific knowledge, just as CSHL has done for more than 130 years.
So, if you want to know what the future of science holds, look to the people who will be doing that science.
Written by<\/strong>: Nick Wurm<\/a>, Communications Specialist<\/em> | [email protected]<\/span><\/a> | 516-367-5940
Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest discoveries, upcoming events, videos, podcasts, and a news roundup delivered straight to your inbox every month.
<\/span>   Newsletter Signup<\/a>
  <\/i> July 27, 2021
  <\/i> March 10, 2023
  <\/i> May 5, 2024
 <\/span>516-367-8800 <\/a>
 <\/span>[email protected]<\/span> <\/a>
 <\/span> 1 Bungtown Rd, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 <\/a>
 Get Directions <\/a>
Get the latest discoveries, upcoming events, videos, podcasts & a news roundup delivered straight to your inbox every month.
© 2026 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. All Rights Reserved.
Sitemap<\/a> | Privacy Policy<\/a> | Web Accessibility<\/a>
<\/i> <\/a>   <\/span> <\/a>   <\/span> <\/a>   <\/span> <\/a>   <\/span> <\/a>   <\/span> <\/a>   <\/span> <\/a> <\/p>\n

source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Home \/ News \/ CSHL Stories and MediaScience comes first in STEM for good reason. Whether one pursues a career in technology, engineering, or medicine, all that work is rooted in scientific knowledge and experimentation. At Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, education and research go hand in hand. That\u2019s true at every level and applied in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17882,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17881","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17881","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17881"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17881\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17882"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17881"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17881"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17881"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}