RTW Foundation Kicks Off Fourth Year of BioQuest Following a Year of Extended STEM Programming
RTW Foundation is launching its fourth year of BioQuest after executing three successful years of programming and
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RTW Foundation is launching its fourth year of BioQuest after executing three successful years of programming and expanded summer internship offerings.
NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, September 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — RTW Foundation is excited to launch its fourth year of its BioQuest STEM mentoring program alongside its co-creators, Areté Education, Hunts Point Alliance for Children, Futures Ignite, and Mott Hall II, after executing three successful years of programming and expanded summer internship offerings. During the 2025–2026 academic year, BioQuest engaged more than 150 middle and high school students through immersive experiences designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and introduce students to careers in science, biotechnology, medicine, and innovation, bringing its total reach to more than 300 students across three years.
Throughout the year, BioQuest hosted eleven specialized STEM events, connecting students with engineers, researchers, innovators, and medical professionals through hands-on experiments, laboratory visits, mentorship, and career exploration. Students gained firsthand exposure to organizations driving scientific discovery with visits to the Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Deerfield, BioBus, GenSpace, The Advanced Science Research Center, The DNA Learning Center, and The New York Structural Biology Center.
Students explored neuroscience through brain-wave monitoring and robotics interfaces alongside world-class scientists at CUNY City College. At the DNA Learning Center, students explored the science behind lactose intolerance, building mini bioreactors to create lactose-free milk and learning about how gene therapy advances the treatment of genetic diseases.
In addition to expanding monthly programming, BioQuest also grew its Ambassadors Program, offering highly engaged high school students specialized leadership development, mentorship, college preparation, and exclusive opportunities to explore STEM careers. This year, Ambassadors experienced an immersive day at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where they participated in hands-on ultrasound and AI-powered surgery simulations, toured research laboratories, and learned directly from medical students, postdoctoral researchers, faculty, and Penn Medicine leadership about careers in medicine and biomedical research.
Building on the momentum of the academic year, RTW Foundation proudly launched its inaugural BioQuest Summer Catalyst Program, a five-week paid summer internship designed to give high school students meaningful research experience. The program immersed students in a multidisciplinary case study focused on Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Throughout the internship, students examined SMA through the lenses of genetics, clinical care, patient advocacy, community impact, and biomedical innovation while working alongside researchers, clinicians, scientists, and industry professionals. The program culminated in student presentations where interns shared their research findings, reflected on the importance of rare disease research, and demonstrated how scientific discovery can directly improve the lives of patients and families.
RTW Foundation also launched its first paid internship for a BioQuest college alumni student who supported summer programming and developed curriculum for future iterations of the program. The organization plans to build a pipeline of support and opportunities for college-aged students as their alumni network grows.
As BioQuest prepares to launch its fourth academic year this fall, RTW Foundation remains committed to expanding access to high-quality STEM education, mentorship, and real-world learning experiences that help students discover new possibilities for their futures. Through growing partnerships with leaders across science, medicine, biotechnology, and education, BioQuest continues to inspire the next generation of innovators while building a stronger, more inclusive STEM pipeline.
To learn more about BioQuest and partnership opportunities, please contact Steve Raymundo at bioquest@rtwf.org.
About RTW Foundation
Founded in 2018 as the philanthropic arm of RTW Investments, LP, RTW Foundation works to power community initiatives and provide scientific advising to improve the health of underserved populations. The Foundation supports the development of medicines for neglected rare diseases, empowers youth to explore careers in science, biotechnology, and medicine, and builds partnerships with local organizations to advance health equity in New York City. To learn more, visit www.rtwf.org.
Samantha Darris
RTW Foundation
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