Research Program Brings High School Students, St. John’s Faculty Together

St. John’s University opened its doors to the next generation of scientists during a research program on the Queens, NY, campus this summer. During a 10-week program, more than 40 high school and undergraduate college students participated in groundbreaking health research on the University’s state-of-the-art equipment. 

Students from high schools in Queens joined those from colleges including Binghamton and Cornell universities in conducting rigorous laboratory research in a subject of their choosing led by faculty from the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. 

More than 100 students from across New York State applied online and chose a subject from a list of research topics ranging from the use of bile acids as therapeutic agents to liver disease treatments. Students came to the program with a variety of research experiences and were mentored by faculty from the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. 

Vivek Gupta, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Research, Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, managed the program. Anne Y. F. Lin ’84P, ’86Pharm.D., FNAP, Dean, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, said the program helped future college students understand the field of health sciences through hands-on experience. 

St. John’s has a well-established tradition of experiential learning across all its six Schools and Colleges.

“Our summer research program offers students the opportunity to work with outstanding faculty who are engaged in research, including exploring new medications for the treatment of acute and chronic diseases and drug formulations that will allow us to make medications more affordable and accessible,” Dean Lin said.

The St. John’s summer program encouraged students of diverse economic and social backgrounds to discover their scientific passions and gain knowledge essential for a future in the health professions. 

The University recently opened the $106 million St. Vincent Health Sciences Center that houses several of its health sciences educational programs.   

“I gained valuable experience in pharmaceutical formulation development,” said Julia Salatti, who is studying bioengineering at Cornell University and will pursue a master’s degree in chemical engineering after graduation in May. “The skills I learned from the members of Dr. Gupta’s laboratory will greatly help me in this career path.”

Dr. Gupta facilitated the nanotechnology for a lung-function research project and helped to lead community outreach efforts. Dr. Gupta and his colleagues hoped to increase networking opportunities between participants and St. John’s instructors while educating young students on academic expectations in Pharmacy, biotechnology, and other health sciences fields. 

Dr. Gupta said the program “serves as a great testament of what we can do and the diversity of research that we can provide.” He would like to grow the program next year and hopes to generate federal funding through programs that support underrepresented student populations in the Science, Engineering, Technology, and Math (STEM) disciplines.

Offering young scholars regardless of educational or socioeconomic standing the resources and knowledge to bolster scientific ingenuity is a hallmark of St. John’s Vincentian mission, he said.