VitalZ Capstone
Students

With guidance from the VitalZ team and my mentor, Dr. Kun Zhang, I explored mRNA vaccines for treating cancer. This summer, I’m interning at Children’s Hospital of Richmond and VCU Medical School, and my paper will be published in the International Journal of High School Research.

Through the VitalZ Capstone research program, my mentor from VCU guided me in exploring cancer hallmarks, PCR, molecular cloning, and more. At first, I struggled with the complex world of cell signaling and cancer biology, but with his support, I gained confidence, sharpened my research and writing skills, and completed my paper on MAPK pathway mutations. I shared this achievement in my UPenn application—and was thrilled to be accepted into the Class of 2027, with an acceptance rate of just 5%.

Cornell University Class of 2028，currently at FFC School.

I wrote a research paper reviewing how personality changes can be an early sign of tumors. From the very first day I started the VitalZ Capstone program, my mentor has been incredibly supportive and helpful. They guided me through the research process, answered all my questions, and helped me stay motivated—even when the topic got challenging. I honestly couldn’t have done it without their encouragement and advice.

Through the VitalZ program, I was paired with an amazing mentor, Gabriel Sturm, who helped me turn my passion for biology into real research. The flexible schedule let me work on two projects, including one about Humanin and Alzheimer’s disease. Thanks to Vital Z team and my mentor, I was able to develop my ideas and push the limits of science. I’m proud to say I won the MIT competition with my Vital research project!