Aspiring Health Professionals Gain Hands-On Experience through Flinn Foundation Summer Internship

To move the needle forward in medicine, researchers and physicians at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix mentored undergraduate students who aspire to be health professionals in medicine, pharmacy, research and other disciplines through the Flinn Foundation Summer Internship Program.

Now in its second year, the annual program paired 12 college students with researchers in various specialties. The assignment — develop hypotheses and conduct scientific research to explore their interests over the course of 12 weeks. The experience culminated with interns presenting their findings to their peers, faculty and college leaders. 

“Helping to foster an enthusiasm for scientific discovery and research is central to the college’s mission of impacting our community through outreach and education,” said Dean Fred E. Wondisford, MD, MS, MBA, who served as a mentor. “It was truly amazing to witness the interns’ dedication to the sciences and passion for their areas of research. The future of health care in Arizona is very bright.”

Sophie Grace Wallace

Sophie Grace Wallace’s passion for medicine ignited during her freshman year of high school when she attended the Saturday Scrubs program at the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix.

“Not only was I completely starstruck by the medical students and the residents at Saturday Scrubs, but I was also given hope that by pursuing medicine, I could change the lives of families going through addiction,” Wallace said.

During her undergraduate studies at Arizona State University, Wallace interned in the lab of Amelia Gallitano, MD, PhD, professor of Basic Medical Sciences and Psychiatry at the college. Wallace felt an immediate connection to neuroscience research and was able to deepen her experience by completing her thesis with the lab with a mentor who pushed her to pursue more opportunities. “Dr. Gallitano encouraged me to apply for the Flinn Foundation Summer Internship Program to continue enhancing my research education and contributing to the lab’s work over the summer,” Wallace said. “My lab had also had a Flinn Intern the previous year who spoke so highly about all of the opportunities to learn and the amazing program coordinators.”

Wallace’s research developed a machine learning model to quantify and analyze behavior in a clinical model.

“This model aims to streamline behavioral quantification, reduce manual effort and eliminate bias,” Wallace said. “This model will be able to isolate specific behavioral events that can help us understand the roles of genes in specific brain regions.”

For Wallace, research is a vital bridge between basic science and patient care. The knowledge and insights gained through research impacts translational studies and, ultimately, clinical practices.

“Engaging with the Flinn Foundation’s speakers and expanding my research network has reinforced my belief in this connection and inspired me to seek solutions that advance patient care,” Wallace said.

Jimmy Ndayikengurukiye

Jimmy Ndayikengurukiye was born in a refugee camp in Tanzania and came to the United States at three years old.

Growing up in an African household, he said that the only road to success for his parents was becoming a doctor, lawyer or an engineer. While he initially had dreams of becoming a doctor, Ndayikengurukiye found his true passion for medicine through pharmacy.

“What struck me was its accessibility to the neighborhood, its increase in patient interactions and its wide range of career paths,” Ndayikengurukiye said. “I want to be a part of building that bridge and closing that gap of unequal treatment in the medical field due to language barriers.”

Ndayikengurukiye majored in biology at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, which expanded his curiosity for medicine through lab-based courses and a passionate faculty.

Ndayikengurukiye’s research focused on liver fibrosis and testing for possible therapies using immunofluorescence methodology.

“My research was on testing if Actin Filaments colocalized with Paxillin, which we know to be a focal adhesion adapter,” Ndayikengurukiye said. “Much of my time was spent in the cell culture hood maintaining cells, drug dosing and imaging cells.”

This internship provided Ndayikengurukiye with an in-depth understanding of translational research and disease mechanisms.

“This experience has taught me critical thinking and problem-solving skills, Ndayikengurukiye said. “Prior science experiences would teach me things that I wouldn’t be able to connect back to real life.”

Interns with their Mentors