Photo credit: Ally OBoyle

Senior Josie White examines microscope slide in the science lab. White worked at Cedars-Siani Medical Center over the summer during her INSPIRE internship. White said she researched a “signaling pathway that interacts with a protein transmitter in breast cancer.”

Hunched over a microscope with her eye pressed to the lens, senior Josie White adjusts the focus knob. The view of her sample slide clears as the bright white light shining from the base seeps through. White can often be found in the science lab. Whether she’s guiding classmates, advancing her own research or gearing up for the science fair, she says the long hours of preparation are always worth it.

White has been conducting research over the past five years through the Science Fair US-FLX she started in eighth grade and Research I in 11th grade. This year, White is continuing her research journey in Research and Advanced Study Chemistry. She has always loved science and said she is excited to keep learning as she develops more skills and knowledge.

Over the summer, White participated in her first internship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center: Inspiring New Scientists through Professional Internships and Research Experience. INSPIRE is an on-site program that gives undergraduate and high school students a chance to work alongside researchers on real-world biomedical projects. 

“Mentored by Cedars-Sinai faculty, INSPIRE interns are exposed to a diverse spectrum of leading-edge technology,” the INSPIRE website states, “through multiple disciplines and projects related to basic, translational or clinical research.”

During the internship, White helped with laboratory work in the hepatology department. Hepatology is the branch of medicine focused on the prevention, diagnosis and management of diseases that affect the liver, gallbladder, biliary tree and pancreas. White explained that her focus was on diseases affecting the liver, White explained. 

“I helped research [a] signaling pathway that interacts with a protein transmitter in breast cancer,” White said. “Specifically, how it compares the same signaling and lipid transporter protein in the liver.” 

A signaling pathway is a series of chemical reactions inside a cell that allows the cell to respond to signals from its environment, while a protein transmitter helps send messages between cells, often binding to receptors and triggering responses. Lastly, a lipid transporter protein moves fat or lipids through the body.

It was White’s first internship, so she said she was ready for anything. White said that coming into the experience with few expectations made it even more exciting.

“It felt like an internship in the sense that you would do something important,” White said, “then, for the next couple of hours, you would sit down, just waiting for the next task to be assigned.”

White began her search for an internship in fall of her junior year. INSPIRE was one of the internships where she passed the first round of applications and was asked to be interviewed. White said a few weeks after her interview, she got an offer to be a part of the lab. Science teacher Jerilyn Neshek wrote her letter of recommendation for the program. 

Neshek has worked with White since her eighth grade year, guiding both her science fair entries and her independent research. She later supervised White’s science fair projects in ninth and 10th grade. She said she has enjoyed watching White’s research skills develop throughout their time together.

“Her research skills are incredible. I mean, she has grown them since she has been in eighth grade and now she is doing another research project,” Neshek said, “so I’m excited to see what she comes up with.”

Sophomore Farah Sandoval has been working alongside White for nearly four years through the Science Fair US-FLX. Sandoval said White’s hard work and achievements in science fair inspired her to start participating.

“She’s always been really dedicated,” Sandoval said, “especially last year when she did science fair and Advanced Study Research, which I know [were] a lot of work in addition to her two projects.”

Sandoval said White is a great peer to have in science fair. Whether helping out with an experiment or someone to talk through projects with, White was an amazing friend and classmate, she said.

“Everyone in science fair knows her,” Sandoval said. “She’s always been there, super dedicated and always been a science-y kind of person — just super interested in learning.”

She said that the internship was an impactful experience.

“I really enjoyed it. I made strong connections, and it was a really informative experience,” White said. “After having that internship, it helped me understand how I want to culminate all of my research in my senior year as my final project in high school.” 

Students in Advanced Study Research II are required to complete a final project to conclude their class. Last year, in Advanced Study Research I, White researched how nanocarriers — a type of immunotherapy — affect the ability of antioxidants to effectively fight cancer. This year, she chose to expand on that research.

“I’m going to be looking at how different supplements — Omega-3s and antioxidants — are going to be able to interrupt a signaling pathway that’s responsible for aggravating carcinogens or tumorgenesis, meaning the spread of cancer,” White said. “The [specific pathway] that I chose to focus on is one that is common and translatable between Drosophila [fruit flies] to humans, so I can apply the same kind of research to them.”

White said she views her current project as a natural ending to her high school research journey. Neshek said that, after seeing White excel through research and science fair, she was excited to see her do work outside of Archer.

“It was just super inspiring and neat to see her use what she’d learned at Archer,” Neshek said. “Especially in this program where, you know, she’s surrounded by these students who are so into research like her, and I just love that it’s something she wants.”