SBU-Mentored High School Student Named Finalist in Regeneron Competition
Forty finalists have been named in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, including one mentored by a Stony Brook University faculty member.
Agnieszka B. Bialkowska, associate professor in the Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine, mentored finalist Emma Wen from John L. Miller Great Neck North High School in Great Neck, New York, for her project “AUM-302, A Novel Triple PIM/PI3K/mTOR Inhibitor, Offers Promising Potential in Reducing the Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Spheroids and Organoids.”
The Regeneron competition is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors, designed to inspire the next generation of scientific leaders.
“Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal human diseases, with current treatments providing only a modest survival improvement. Last summer, I had the pleasure of collaborating with a high school student, Emma Wen, on a project to test the therapeutic potential of new compounds for treating pancreatic cancer,” said Bialkowska. “For her research, Emma employed three-dimensional organoids that originated from pancreatic cancer patients and utilized mono- and combinatorial therapy to target multiple signaling pathways. The studies are vital for identifying novel treatment models and better understanding the tested compounds’ mode of action.”
The Regeneron Science Talent Search 2025 finalists represent 39 schools across 16 states. Finalists were selected from 300 scholars and 2,471 entrants, the largest pool of applicants since 1967, based on the originality and creativity of their scientific research, as well as their achievement and leadership both inside and outside of the classroom.
Finalists will participate in a week-long competition in March, where they will undergo a rigorous judging process and compete for more than $1.8 million in awards. They will also have an opportunity to interact with leading scientists and share research with the public on March 9, both in person and virtually. The top 10 Regeneron Science Talent Search 2025 winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on March 11, streamed live from Washington, D.C.
Each finalist will be awarded at least $25,000, with the top 10 awards ranging from $40,000 to $250,000.
“Congratulations to this year’s remarkable finalists,” said George D. Yancopoulos, MD, president and chief scientific officer of Regeneron. “Regeneron now helps millions of people around the world facing serious diseases, which is a testament to what is possible when young scientific talent is nurtured. I see that same potential to transform our world in these finalists, and I look forward to their future contributions to science and to human health.”