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WHK Student Interns Reflect on Key Takeaways of Their Internships

The Werner H. Kirsten (WHK) program, a long-standing institution in Frederick, recently graduated its 32nd class. This unique internship opportunity continues to catapult many high school seniors on the path to STEM careers. Before the 2023 WHK student interns concluded their internships, WHK Program Manager Carrie Wagerman wanted to ensure they were recognized for their achievement in completing the rigorous program. She asked them to share a little about themselves, their plans for the future, and some takeaways from their experience. Read their responses below.

Angeline Amefia

When Tech Isn’t Available, This Group Makes It

In the Natural Products Branch, projects demand a level of precision that makes Cinderella’s slipper look like child’s play. However, lab equipment isn’t always tailor-made for such uniqueness, sometimes requiring a little modification with special parts to get the job done. Sometimes those parts aren’t available. It rightly sounds like a headache, but Jason Evans and Matthew Harris say the group regularly pulls it off—at times, even in as little as a day.

Tom Stackhouse Bids Farewell to NCI, Leaving a Legacy at Frederick

After 32 years with the National Cancer Institute, Tom Stackhouse, Ph.D., is riding into the sunset. The director of the Technology Transfer Center retires at the end of June. He’s gratified to have had a fulfilling career that helped enable so many partnerships, programs, and products. The team has had several successes, including some in support of the science in Frederick.

Biotech Connector: Shedding Light on Human Maladies

Three scientists from the region presented innovative imaging techniques and discussed how they are leveraging them to advance cancer research and ultimately improve human health at the Biotech Connector seminar on Wednesday, May 17, the second in this year’s series sponsored by the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research and the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. 

In FNL-Backed Partnership, Students FLEX Their Skills and Feds Benefit

A new drug and vaccine delivery method that utilizes synthetic bacterial nanoparticles could improve chemotherapy treatments, and a groundbreaking alternative to drilled wells may soon be breaking ground in agricultural areas. The Federal Laboratory Education Accelerator and the work of Master of Business Administration students across the country are helping move these and other far-ranging technologies out of the laboratory and into the market.

Birdhouse Committee and Scout Troops Build Homes for NCI Frederick’s Birds

A hawk circles high above NCI Frederick. A blackbird hops along a steam pipe, its talons clicking on the metal. Sparrows flit from tree to tree. Geese are gathered on the grass. Birds are regular visitors to NCI Frederick, and thanks to a months-long project, some now have a better chance to make the campus their home this spring.

Opportunity Knocks: Scenes from the 26th Spring Research Festival

The curtain has officially dropped on the Spring Research Festival for another year. With its signature vendor show, poster display, and bevy of lectures, the hybrid event looked much as it did in pre-pandemic times. Yet among the participants, there was an unmistakable impression of eagerness, a recognition of opportunity.

NCI Frederick and FNL Staff Receive Honors at 2022 NCI Director’s Awards

Several hundred National Cancer Institute staff converged on NCI’s Shady Grove campus last month to celebrate the annual NCI Director’s Awards ceremony in a way they hadn’t been able to for the past several years: together.

Coworkers and colleagues greeted each other in person while enjoying refreshments and watching pre-recorded award videos from senior NCI leaders in a hybrid, open-house version of the 2022 awards ceremony.

Biotech Connector: Next-Generation Vaccine Formulation and Delivery

Maryland scientists recently came together to discuss next-generation vaccine formulation and delivery, as the Biotech Connector speaker series returned to Frederick. The Biotech Connector is a quarterly networking and speaker series, hosted by the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research and Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. The scientific event invites experts across disciplines and backgrounds for an inside look at local advances in innovative technologies in biological sciences to improve human health.

Spring Research Festival Will Return with Some In-Person Events

Spring is upon us again, and the Spring Research Festival is following quickly on its heels. However, by both pandemic and pre-pandemic standards, this won’t be an ordinary year. It’s the festival’s first in a hybrid format. That means for the first time since May 2019, participants will be able to attend events in person if they desire.