Summer in the City: HICCC Cancer Education and Training Highlights
This summer, the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) hosted a series of immersive education and training programs to engage students and community members in cancer research and prevention.
The programs welcomed high school, undergraduate, and international students for hands-on research, mentorship, and collaborative learning. HICCC also hosted educational workshops across NYC to engage community members in cancer prevention, screening, and health equity.
LaGuardia Community College | HICCC Internship
The LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC)/HICCC Internship Program offers talented undergraduate students from LAGCC the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in clinical cancer research. This year the program welcomed five students, who joined HICCC’s Clinical Protocol and Data Management (CPDM) office to shadow staff and explore different career paths in clinical research.
This valued partnership not only equips students with early, practical exposure to clinical research, but also supports a long-term goal of building a more varied and well-prepared pipeline of research professionals. With generous support from Marilyn Skony Stamm, honorary director of the LaGuardia Community College Foundation Board, the program is now in its second year and continues to be a transformative experience for participants and alumni- many of whom have become full-time employees at Columbia.
Yonsei University | HICCC Exchange Program
Six undergraduate students from Yonsei University – one of the top universities in South Korea - traveled to the HICCC this summer for a new internship exchange program fostering global collaboration between young scientists. The program was established as part of a partnership formed at the 2024 Yonsei University Health System Advanced Cancer Therapeutics Summit (ACTS) in Seoul and represents a key component of a broader collaboration between HICCC and Yonsei University. The overarching goal is to strengthen global cancer research efforts, particularly in clinical trials focused on solid tumors and gastrointestinal cancers and foster deeper international collaboration.
As the inaugural cohort in this internship, the students spent six weeks in HICCC’s cancer research labs, while living on campus at CUIMC. Coming from a largely international student body, they brought with them unique academic perspectives and insights from Yonsei, enriching the collaborative environment at Columbia. Over the course of the program, they immersed themselves in the vibrant culture of New York City while engaging in basic science research across cancer disciplines.
“Advancing cancer research and care requires a truly global approach,” said Sandra Ryeom, PhD, program director. “Through initiatives like this, we can accelerate scientific discovery, enhance innovation, and grow closer to life-saving therapies for patients around the world.”
YES in THE HEIGHTS
The YES in THE HEIGHTS internship at the HICCC is designed to inspire and prepare high school and undergraduate students primarily from New York City for careers in biomedical research. By pairing students with world-renowned researchers and physicians at Columbia, the program, led by Jasmine McDonald, PhD provides early exposure to cutting-edge cancer science and clinical care.
This summer, 15 students were selected for the competitive 8-week program. Throughout the internship, they engaged in hands-on research in HICCC labs, participated in clinical shadowing rotations, heard powerful testimonies from Columbia cancer survivors and thrivers, and built lasting connections with peers and mentors across the university.
The internship concluded with the Columbia University Pathway Programs (CUPP) Symposium, where YES in THE HEIGHTS students presented their research alongside nearly 100 fellow student interns at Columbia.
YES x Math for America (MƒA)
The YES x Math for America (MƒA) program brings together HICCC researchers and STEM educators from across New York City to co-develop classroom-ready curricula and resources focused on cancer education and public health. This summer, the collaboration launched a new mini-course, "Exploring Cancer Equity in NYC: Leveraging Public Data for the Classroom," led by Jasmine McDonald, PhD, and Mary Beth Terry, PhD. The course guided middle and high school teachers in integrating real-world cancer data into their lesson plans to help students engage with public health topics in meaningful, data-driven ways.
“We had the opportunity to learn from them as we hope they have learned from us,” said Dr. Terry. “We actively listened to them discuss the challenges and share what topics would matter most to their students. We enjoyed coming back with modified or new materials to facilitate options for classroom implementation.” Dr. McDonald added, “We aim for this type of work to be a low lift for already busy teachers.”
Cancer Education Health Fairs
HICCC’s Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) team leads year-round workshops across Columbia’s surrounding neighborhoods to bring cancer risk reduction and screening education to the communities that need it most. This summer, their outreach efforts reached dozens of individuals of all ages- equipping them with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions about their health. From local health fairs to the ColumbiaDoctors Outreach at Haven Plaza Farmers Market, the COE team led by co-directors Parisa Tehranifar, DrPH and Phoenix Matthews, PhD, met residents where they live to offer accessible and multilingual workshops on lung cancer screenings, breast health, cancer nutrition, and more.
Scientific Enrichment Month
The HICCC’s YES in THE HEIGHTS program hosted its annual virtual Scientific Enrichment Month (SEM) program in July- spearheaded by Dr. McDonald. Nearly 2,000 registrants—primarily high school students—from 28 countries participated, including Brazil, India, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Canada, Nigeria, and the Philippines.
Participants engaged in public health working groups led by research experts at Columbia where they developed peer-to-peer education projects that also counted toward community service hours. Additional specialized groups focused on topics such as Physical Activity & Cancer, Skin Cancer & Sun Safety, HPV & the Cancer Vaccine, and Anti-Tobacco & Anti-Vaping, among others. In recognition of their participation, the HICCC awarded over 800 certificates to students after presenting their working group final projects.