BioQuest STEM Mentoring Program
What is BioQuest?
BioQuest is a STEM mentoring program designed to give middle and high school students opportunities to explore diverse careers in science, biotechnology, and medicine. In our pilot year, 20 mentors engaged over 75 students from the South Bronx through six enrichment events. We are proud to have co-created this program with our collaborators from Areté Education, BioBus, Hunts Point Alliance for Children, and Weill Cornell Medicine.
2024-2025 Academic Year
Year 2 of BioQuest is underway! Students and families connected with mentors, enjoyed breakfast, and explored hands on science experiments aboard the BioBus in the Bronx!
Stay tuned and follow us for updates throughout the academic year as we continue to inspire and empower the next generation of STEM leaders!
As a life science investment and innovation firm committed to empowering the next generation of scientists, RTW Investments welcomed BioQuest students to its offices to explore biotech investing and career opportunities in drug discovery. Students heard from our CEO, Rod Wong, and our team of researchers and analysts, gaining insights into biotech and life sciences. The day included hands-on activities like investing trivia, a chemistry simulation, and a guided tour of the investment firm offices, sparking excitement for the year ahead!
BioQuest teamed up with HPAC, Futures Ignite, and Arete Education for a day of hands-on scientific discovery at Hudson River Park. Students explored the park’s interactive microorganism room, learned the history and ecology of the Hudson River with environmental specialists, and used microscopes to uncover some of the estuary’s tiniest organisms.
Students will explore Johnson & Johnson JLABS and The New York Genome Center where they’ll meet scientists and participate in hands-on activities. Extracting DNA from strawberries will be back by popular demand alongside other hands-on experiments! Get ready to put on your lab coat and explore the world of STEM research.
2023-2024 Pilot Year
Students and their families gathered together with BioQuest mentors and collaborators for a Kick-Off Breakfast in September. Everyone enjoyed breakfast, participated in a scavenger hunt activity, and learned more about the new STEM mentoring program. After the launch, students and mentors explored hands-on microscope activities with BioBus at the Hunts Point Back to School Fair.
RTW Investments hosted its first-ever career day as a part of the inaugural year of BioQuest. RTW Investments is a life science investment and innovation firm dedicated to solving the most challenging, unmet patient needs. RTW originates companies, fuels growth, and nurtures the most promising science and medicine. Students learned about career paths in biotech and science, participated in activities with their mentors, met our CEO, and explored the investment firm offices.
BioQuest teamed up with Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS to create a unique experience for middle school and high school students from the South Bronx on November 2nd. For the first time ever, JLABS @ NYC hosted students to explore their eye-catching incubator space for startup companies in the life sciences and healthcare industry. Mentors from the BioQuest by RTW Foundation team led hands-on lab activities including extracting DNA from strawberries, team pipette racing, and a video demonstration of robotics technology used in the lab. Students got to explore the space, engage with their mentors, and meet the Head of JLABS US Northeast. Many of these students had never been to an incubator space before and this event was an inspiring experience for them to consider a potential future career in the life science industry.
Students and mentors explored multicellular organisms with the BioBus team using microscopes and other features of their mobile lab. Through hands-on experiments participants hypothesized and discovered how organisms reacted to changes in their environment.
BioQuest students designed solutions to community health challenges in teams with their mentors. Students pitched their innovative ideas and "invested" in the most impactful proposals.
Students, mentors, and collaborators enjoyed a day at the Liberty Science Center followed by a graduation celebration for students who participated in our inaugural year of the BioQuest program!
Angel
I liked learning about peoples' backgrounds and seeing what they did to get to where they are right now.
Tingting Zhang-Kharas, PhD
Many of us did not come from a background with family members in healthcare, science, or the pharma industry, but I hope the experience today will inspire you to follow your dreams and explore a career in life sciences or anything that you are passionate about!
Jeandely
Everyone was super nice and energetic. They made asking questions so easy. I thought it was pretty perfect. I learned about the medtech career and career analysis. I want to learn more about the business part.
Interested in getting involved with BioQuest as a mentor?
Program Collaborators
Many organizations are coming together to make this program possible. Learn about the key players collaborating to make this program engaging and exciting for our young innovators.