The summer research and college preparatory program is very successful in placing students at outstanding colleges and universities around the country. Student researchers recieve professional college counseling and support to become experts in the fields of science and research. Learn more about college success for LA-HIP Interns.
What LA-HIP Interns Do
An internship is an opportunity to work in a temporary setting and learn “on the job." Our interns work for 6 weeks in medical research labs doing hands-on experiments under the direction of scientists called “mentors”.
You can work on diseases like cancer or tuberculosis, help regenerate organs, look at the interaction of bacteria and antibiotics or figure out how the brain works.
Meet Previous LA-HIP Interns
Meet some previous interns and learn about their projects:
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Daniel Artiga, Class of 2010
Daniel came to LA-HIP as a senior at California Academy of Math and Science and he is the brother of Andres Artiga, alum of 2007 and currently a senior at University of California Irvine. Daniel worked with Dr. Kevin Nash and studied antibiotic resistance in tuberculosis. He worked together with Rubi Garcia, currently a freshman at the University of Southern California. They jointly presented their research under the title: "Drug Resistance in Mycobacteria such as M. Tuberculosis."
Daniel is a freshman at Harvard University and he gets to live in Boston.
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Noemi Rivera, Class of 2010
Noemi was a senior at Belmont High School and worked in the laboratory of Dr. Charles Gomer. She studied gene expression in retinoblastoma, a childhood tumor of the eye. She had never been in a laboratory and tremendously enjoyed what she learned academically and about herself while in LA-HIP. The title of her presentation was: “Radiation Increases Expression of Pro-Survival Molecule, Survivin in Retinoblastoma.”
Noemi is now a freshman at Smith College in Massachusetts.
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Cristina Saldana, Class of 2010
Cristina was a senior at King Drew Medical Magnet High School and she worked in the laboratory of Dr. Ellen Lien. She studied the molecular events that take place when the fish hart heals following an injury to the muscle. Cristina learned to genotype small Zebra fish and the tile of her presentation was: “Zebra Fish Heart Regeneration.”
Cristina is now a freshman at the prestigious Pomona College in Claremont, CA.
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Dafne Sanchez, Class of 2011
Dafne is currently in the 2011 LA-HIP internship and she worked in the laboratory of Dr. Kasper Wang, a surgeon interested in liver diseases. Dafne studied biochemical and molecular mechanisms that regulate repair of the liver upon injury. Dafne learned to do sophisticated experiments and used very delicate instruments such as microscopes and microtome. Dafne is currently a senior at Bravo Medical Magnet and prepares her college applications.
The title of her presentation was: “Fibroblast Growth Factor Signaling in the Spleen and Liver.”
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Jessica Arzola, Class of 2011
Jessica is a senior at Carson High School and she worked in the laboratory of Dr. Ambrose Jong. Jessica studied the role of small vesicles of yeast cells in the process of invasion of the organism of the brain in infants. Jessica performed challenging experiments that required steady hands and dedication to the work. The title of her presentation was: “Control of C. Neoformans Microvesicles via Intracellular Calcium Concentrations.”
Jessica’s dream is to become a doctor and make a difference in her community. LA-HIP has helped her to see this goal become reality.
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What Former LA-HIP Interns Say:
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Jessica Arzola, Class of 2011
Senior, Compton High School
“No one but LA-HIP has been able to assure me about my abilities to get into college. I have always thought that I would simply go to a community college and transfer if I could. Never have I thought that going to a prestigious university would be a reality for me, and not just a dream. Every time Dr. B greets me in my lab by saying, “Dr. Arzola,” I cannot help but get teary eyed, for no one at all has ever associated me with a career that one can only dream about. For Dr. B, it may only be a mere greeting, but for me, it is additional inspiration that evolves into increased self-efficacy, a gift that this program has fortunately given me.”
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Vanessa Garcia, Class of 2010
Freshman, University of California San Diego
“Dr. B always believed in me, which gave me motivation too. I know I am going struggle, but I know there are people I could turn to when I’m having a hard time. Now I feel much more secure about myself.”
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Eric Zavala, Class of 2009
Sophomore, University of California San Diego
“I didn’t really want to be a doctor to really help people but rather to make a lot of money. But my dreams were bound to change during this internship. I learned that research has its rewards and drawbacks but in the end it is much more beneficial than being a doctor. I am able to conceive new ideas by which ill children can be cured. Rather than actually curing the children in person I work in the bench of making new discoveries. This process of the transformation of my goals in life changed gradually as I progressed through the LA-HIP.”
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