Last summer, sophomore Lilly Chase participated in a competitive research program at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Research Center, conducting prostate cancer research. She presented her research at MSK and at the American Museum of Natural History.

The MSK summer research internship is an eight week program that pairs high school students with professional mentors working in cancer research. Participants undertake independent research projects while receiving hands-on training in data analysis, research methodologies, and scientific communication. The program includes regular mentor meetings, educational classes on various research topics, and dedicated time for project development.

Lilly first heard about the opportunity through an email from Townsend Harris highlighting summer internship opportunities. She said, “since I already knew I was interested in STEM, this specific internship at MSK really stood out to me.” With limited programs available for rising sophomores, Lilly was determined to find something impactful. Lily said,“I already knew of Memorial Sloan Kettering as one of the best cancer centers in the country, so I thought it would be incredible to work in that environment.” 

She said, “I’ve always been fascinated by healthcare, and this program gave me the opportunity to experience it firsthand.”

Class of 2025 THHS graduate Jenney Huang, who participated in the MSK program in a previous year, said, “I think this internship is extremely beginner friendly, so even if you have no experience in the medical field (I didn’t), it is a very worthwhile experience. The projects vary every year, so there is always something novel to look forward to and the community at MSK will make you feel like family.”

During the internship, Lilly worked on a research project using the Genie BPC dataset, a comprehensive collection of patient information from various institutions including details about cancer stage, grade, and treatment. Lilly’s research focus was prostate cancer under the mentorship of a professional biostatistician. Over the summer, she learned to code in R, navigate research databases, and formulate her own research question. The program culminated in presentations at the MSK and the American Museum of Natural History. 

A memorable moment for Lilly was her final presentation at MSK. She said she was extremely nervous since public speaking was not something that came easy to her, but was determined to share the work she had worked so hard on. When the time for presentations came she said, “it ended up going really well, and I was so proud of myself for being brave and talking in front of so many impressive people.” 

She said, “I can be a pretty shy person, but in this environment, I realized that simply introducing myself and having a conversation with people, no matter how intimidating, can be really beneficial,” she said. 

Sasha Parris, a junior at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School, shared Lilly’s impact on her own experience: “From the first day of the program, Lilly was an amazing person. I was really shy, and Lilly struck up a conversation with me, which immediately made me feel more comfortable and welcomed. Lilly is naturally a charming and funny person. She gave off really chill vibes.” 

Sasha also noticed Lilly’s transformation as a presenter, and said the amount of effort Lilly put into improving her presentation was very inspiring: “By the end of the internship, Lilly gave an in-depth and engaging presentation, honestly one of the best I’ve seen from a peer in a while. Seeing her confidence and incredible work ethic was inspiring. Lilly’s tenacity motivates me every day and pushes me to work harder, especially as a junior.” 

Assistant principal of STEM and AP Pre-Calculus teacher Abid Choudhury said “I have seen Lilly grow in finding her voice and confidence. She has strong math skills, but seeing her grow in her personal voice and grow in team settings has been great. Those intangibles help with any advanced endeavor, MSK internship included.”

When asked what advice she would give to students considering similar opportunities, Lilly encouraged others to be bold: “Just go for it. Don’t hold back due to fear, and trust that what is meant for you will not pass you by. Now, I am so grateful that I opted to apply because the experience was life changing and Memorial Sloan Kettering will forever hold a special place in my heart.”