Helios Scholars at TGen
Celebrates 20 Years

2007 - 2026

"Summer of Science"
Trains Arizona’s Next Generation of Biomedical Innovators

For many Arizona students, the first step toward a future in science begins with a single summer that changes how they see themselves.

Since 2007, Helios Scholars at TGen has opened the door to biomedical research for students across the state. Each summer, participants work with a TGen mentor who guides them through hands‑on projects across the full range of translational bioscience.

This paid, eight‑week internship places students at the center of scientific discovery. Scholars work alongside TGen investigators on studies in cancer biology, neurological disease, diabetes, and infectious disease. The program also offers opportunities in computational genomics and administrative roles, giving students a path into STEM fields such as laboratory research, medicine, and law.

Unlike many STEM internships, Helios Scholars join active research teams and take part in real experiments, bioinformatics, and statistical analysis. For many, it becomes their first true look at how discovery happens: through collaboration, creativity, and the steady, iterative work that drives innovation.

“The energy in the building changes when the 45 scholars arrive each summer. It lifts the whole institute,” says Kristen Kaus, director of Education and Outreach at TGen. “Students build new skills and begin to see themselves as part of the scientific community. At the same time, mentors gain fresh perspective by teaching and collaborating, which strengthens both the learning environment and the research.”

The program began with a 2006 grant from Helios Education Foundation, which funded a pilot that brought 65 students into TGen labs. The experience exceeded expectations and led to a $6.5 million endowment in 2007, formally establishing Helios Scholars at TGen as both an educational program and a workforce development initiative.

Paul J. Luna, President and CEO of Helios Education Foundation

Paul J. Luna, President and CEO of Helios Education Foundation

“In keeping with our mission, we worked with TGen to build a program that opened access to a powerful research environment, especially for students who had never seen opportunities like this,” said Paul J. Luna, President and CEO of Helios Education Foundation. “We focused on learning, mentorship, and lasting value. We also worked to reach students from lower‑income backgrounds and first‑generation college families by removing barriers so they could spend a summer at TGen, experience the work, and imagine new futures.”

Today, the internship serves as a bridge between higher education and Arizona’s growing bioscience economy. Since its start, the program has trained more than 850 students, many of whom now work in Arizona’s biomedical, healthcare, and life‑science sectors.

“Beyond the learning and discovery, what stays with you are the people,” says Josh Niska, M.D., a 2006 scholar from Gilbert, Arizona. “You build real relationships with mentors and fellow interns who later become colleagues and friends. The experience brings people together from across the country to work side by side, and it gives you the chance to explore translational research and discover new interests.”

After graduating from Arizona State University, Niska attended Harvard Medical School and returned to Arizona, where he now serves as a radiation oncologist with Mayo Clinic.

Josh Niska, M.D., a 2006 Helios Scholar

Josh Niska, M.D., a 2006 Helios Scholar

“Being selected for the program gave me a confidence I didn’t know I needed. Knowing that people at TGen believed in my potential changed the direction of my career"
2008 Scholar Kathryn Post DeMott, Ph.D.

Shaping Career Trajectories

TGen mentors emphasize that Helios Scholars focuses less on short‑term research output and more on long‑term career direction.

“What I value most is the energy these young scientists bring into our labs,” says Matt Huentelman, Ph.D., TGen Professor and Director of the Early Detection and Prevention Division. “Their curiosity reminds us why science is exciting. I encourage anyone considering the program to apply. It gives you a real chance to see whether science, education, or medicine feels right by working directly in a lab.”

Alumni outcomes reflect that impact. Former interns have published scientific papers, earned national awards, and entered top graduate and medical programs. Hands‑on learning often helps students understand their goals more clearly than classroom work alone.

“Being pushed to think creatively and take on hard projects is incredibly rewarding, especially when you know the work might help a patient one day,” says Kam Leka, a 2019 and 2021 scholar who now works at TGen as a research associate. “That mix of challenge and purpose makes the experience meaningful.”

As it enters its twentieth year, Helios Scholars shows how research institutions now blend learning with hands‑on scientific work. Programs like this bring mentorship, career preparation, and discovery together in one place.

For many students, the most lasting lesson is not a specific technique but the realization that they belong in science.

Through networking events, seminars, and daily mentorship, participants learn the culture of research, the persistence it requires, the collaborative spirit it depends on, and the responsibility that comes with studying human health.

These experiences help explain why alumni often describe the program as pivotal. It does more than teach science; it welcomes students into a professional community.

“Being selected for the program gave me a confidence I didn’t know I needed. Knowing that people at TGen believed in my potential changed the direction of my career,” says 2008 Scholar Kathryn Post DeMott, Ph.D., who currently works as a scientist with Odylia Therapeutics. “I returned as a postdoc because the community here is truly unique. You feel supported, connected, and part of something bigger. And having a paid chance to focus on science as an undergraduate opened doors, built skills, and helped shape the work I’m involved with today.”

TGen Mentors and Helios Scholars work together on real research projects

Looking Ahead

As biomedical research becomes more data‑driven and interdisciplinary, early exposure programs like Helios Scholars at TGen play a crucial role in preparing students for complex scientific careers. By combining paid internships, mentorship, and hands‑on research, the program continues to lower barriers that often keep students from exploring the biomedical sciences.

“What’s surprised me most over the past twenty years is how strongly this program keeps people in STEM,” says TGen President and Research Director Jeffrey M. Trent, Ph.D. “The curiosity and energy students bring each summer is impossible to miss. From day one, they step up, compete, and grow in ways that mirror the real world. That challenge, and the support behind it, sets this program apart and helps launch their careers.”

Twenty years in, Helios Scholars at TGen remains both an educational program and a strategic investment in Arizona’s scientific future.

One student, one experiment, and one summer at a time.

Helios Scholars at TGen, Class of 2025

Helios Scholars at TGen, Class of 2025

Helios Scholars at TGen 20th Anniversary Video

Helios Scholars at TGen is a paid, eight-week summer internship program in biomedical research open to incoming and continuing undergraduate, graduate, and medical school students who have studied at an Arizona high school, college, or university.