About

The Scripps Research Translational Institute (SRTI) Student Research Internship is a 10-week summer research program at one of the world's leading biomedical research institutions, placing high school students alongside internationally recognized scientists working at the intersection of genomics, computational biology, and mobile health (mHealth). Located in La Jolla, California, SRTI is a division of Scripps Research — a nonprofit research institute founded over a century ago and consistently ranked among the top independent research organizations in the world for biomedical science and chemistry.

The program runs in two sessions: June 2–August 8 or June 16–August 22. Students are paired one-to-one with a primary mentor and work on independent research projects in areas including genomics, digital medicine, data science, and artificial intelligence applied to health research — fields that are increasingly central to the future of medicine but rarely accessible to high school students at this depth. Beyond individual lab work, interns participate in translational science seminars, an intern journal club, and faculty roundtable discussions. The internship culminates in a poster symposium where students present their findings. The program is open to high school students ages 16 and older, alongside undergraduate, graduate, and professional students — making it one of the few programs where high school researchers work directly alongside graduate-level peers.

The application requires a complete online application, unofficial transcripts, a statement of purpose, a letter of recommendation, and a one-minute video in which the applicant highlights their passions and strengths. The video requirement is distinctive and worth taking seriously — it functions as a screen for communication ability and genuine enthusiasm, not just academic credentials. The program is highly selective; students must demonstrate strong interest in genomics or translational health research. No geographic restriction limits eligibility.

For a student drawn to the computational and data-driven future of medicine — rather than traditional wet-lab biology — SRTI offers one of the most focused and institutionally credible summer research experiences available at the high school level.