Notre Dame Student Participates in Discovery to Cure at Yale High School Internship

Another ND student excelling above and beyond...

Notre Dame is very proud of Zachery Bilcheck '17 who was accepted into the 2016 Discovery to Cure High School Internship Program. The program was established in New Haven in 2003 by Dr. Gil Mor with the goal of exposing talented students from local high schools to biomedical research to open their minds to future career opportunities in science and medicine. The initial program enrolled four students from two local high schools. Since then, the program has grown to include 29 schools from throughout the country with the number of applications exceeding 200 per year for 25 available slots.

Here are some of Zack's reflections on applying to the program and on his seven-week research experience in the Discovery to Cure Internship Program.

"I learned about the program when a group of students was invited to meet with ND's guidance counselors and science teachers who told us about the opportunity. I had become interested in biology during my sophomore year when I was in Mr. John Crocco's Honors Biology class. In April, I attended the Discovery to Cure orientation, and I applied. Several weeks later, I was advised that I had been accepted."

During the course of the seven-week program, Zach was assigned a mentor, a medical school professor who is a medical doctor and a Ph.D. Zach's research project dealt with the development of the neurotransmitter serotonin during the gestation period. Specifically, the project investigated the origins of serotonin: did it generate naturally or did it generate from the mother's bloodstream? Understanding the changes in levels of serotonin provides insights that might explain patterns of individual differences in developmental risk and resilience in early childhood and adolescence.

"Although I have not made a final decision about a career choice, the summer experience confirmed my interest in the Biological sciences, with a leaning more toward research than toward being a medical practitioner."

Join us on Sunday, October 16 for our annual Open House. From 1:00 - 3:00 our doors will be open to prospective students and their families.

You may also call:

Mr. Pasquale G. Izzo ’00, Director of Admissions
203-933-1673 x501

to register to be A-Knight-for-a-Day (http://www.notredamehs.com/Pag...) or to take the Admissions Test on Saturday, Oct 22, Nov. 5, OR Dec. 6 from 8-11 a.m.

Visit http://www.notredamehs.com/Pag...