Pursuing a future in medicine came with few doubts for Bryce Tom. With physicians as parents, Tom grew up recognizing the fulfillment his mother and father gained from their work, making it easy for him to want a similar career. Eager to pave his own path forward, Tom—a recent graduate from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School—joined his high school’s science research program where he was first exposed to the field of biomedical research.
Eventually, he applied to be a part of the 2024 cohort of the High School Summer Training in Advanced Research (High School STAR) Program at The Lundquist Institute (TLI) in Torrance, CA. The program matches rising juniors and seniors to TLI investigators who provide mentorship and hands-on training in a real-world lab setting. For eight weeks, participants conduct an intensive research project, culminating with a presentation to peers, family, and the TLI research community.
Upon acceptance, Tom was matched with TLI investigator, Marc Swidergall, PhD, in the Division of Infectious Diseases. “Pathogens will continue to evolve. Knowing that, infectious diseases will always be a relevant topic,” said Tom, reminiscing on his decision to prioritize the specialty as a division of interest.
The Swidergall Lab focuses on cellular and molecular factors that regulate the immune response against mucosal and invasive fungal infections, and Tom was responsible for analyzing metabolites using mass spectrometry and cytokine responses during trained immunity in epithelial cells, a functional adaptation of the innate immune system against secondary infections.
Overall, Tom recalled a great experience and valued the lunchtime lectures most. “Surprisingly, you don’t interact with the other fellows as much during the program,” said Tom. “When we came together at lunch for different talks, that’s where we got to catch up and hear from other mentors. I liked learning about their specialties and the cool things they were doing,” he added.
Fortunately, Tom’s journey in the Swidergall Lab didn’t end when High School STAR Program did. Instead, Swidergall offered Tom a paid position on his team, one that he happily accepted and continued to fulfill over the next year. “Working in Marc’s lab showed me the intricacies and nuances that are involved in studying infectious disease. There are so many pathways and interconnected parts that allow the immune system to function correctly,” Tom said.
“Bryce demonstrated a rare combination of curiosity and technical skill during his time in the High School STAR Program. His strong performance in our lab made it clear that he would be a valuable asset to our team. Offering him a position was a natural next step to further his career and deepen his experience in biomedical research,” Swidergall said.
When thinking about how this experience has prepared him for college, Tom mentioned several takeaways, including communication and critical thinking skills, paying attention to detail, note-taking, and most importantly, the benefits of collaboration. Initially surprised by the level of teamwork in the Swidergall Lab, Tom explained that science is often portrayed as an individual undertaking. On the contrary, his lab experience at TLI was rooted in working as one – a culture he didn’t anticipate would make an impression.
Grateful for the mentorship he received from lab mates like Jinendiran Sekar, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Swidergall Lab, Tom said he was especially thankful for the hands-on teaching he gained from everyone on his team, not just Swidergall himself. “It almost felt like I gained knowledge by diffusion,” he said. “When you’re around others in the lab, you’re taking in more than you realize.”
Now, Tom has entered his first year at the University of Southern California as a proposed biophysics major. After spending the last two summers in the Swidergall Lab, he’s excited to apply his training as a college student. For prospective High School STAR Program participants, Tom advises paying attention to detail, communicating often, and asking a lot of questions.
For more information about the Education programs at The Lundquist Institute, visit https://lundquist.org/education/