On Saturday, Feb. 21, Rogel Cancer Center welcomed more than 250 high school students, teachers and chaperones to the North Campus Research Complex for this year’s One Day Closer event. 

With the support of over 80 faculty, staff and trainee volunteers, high school students from around the state experienced a day of learning designed to inspire the next generation of cancer researchers and healthcare professionals.  

The students’ first stop was a health fair featuring both internal and external organizations. Teams from across the organization shared their resources alongside representatives from Cancer Support Community of Ann Arbor and the Washtenaw County Health Department.  

Sarah Hawley, Ph.D., M.P.H., welcomed students, followed by a talk (“What is Cancer?”) from cancer biology trainee Katie Manzeck as well as a moving patient story from Amy Zuhlke. After the opening sessions, students participated in hands-on learning activities, interactive lectures, and immersive lab tours. 

A highlight of this year’s program was that every student had the opportunity to visit a research lab or core facility. Students rotated through the labs of Drs. Moon, DiFeo, Palmbos, Hara and Leopold, or explored shared resources such as the Flow Cytometry, Pharmacokinetics, and CyTOF Cores. Many talked about how impactful it was to see research in action. 

The cancer biology trainees facilitated a hands-on strawberry DNA extraction activity that was a crowd favorite. One attendee called it “science magic,” while another reflected, “The strawberry DNA extraction event went exceptionally well! I had so much fun and enjoyed the team effort.” 

Rogel Cancer Center trainees Padma Kadiyala, Ph.D., Harrison Hiraki, Ph.D., Alma Wang and Luis Teran-Rodriguez brought cancer immunology to life with a creative boba tea demonstration illustrating immune responses. 

Throughout the day, students met with many more teams and gained exposure to the breadth of careers within oncology and biomedical science. As one attendee summarized, “They opened my eyes to the many jobs and aspects of the oncology field.”  

The response was overwhelmingly positive, with many students eager to return next year and explore additional stations. Events like One Day Closer highlight Rogel’s strong commitment to education, discovery, and community engagement, demonstrating that breakthroughs in cancer research happen not only in hospitals, but also across laboratories, core facilities, and collaborative teams throughout Michigan Medicine.  

By sharing this work and introducing high school students to the many paths within cancer research and care, we hope to inspire the next generation to pursue careers that bring us One Day Closer to a cure. 

The planning committee extends its sincere thanks to the faculty, trainees, staff and volunteers who made this event possible. Your enthusiasm and dedication drive the Rogel Cancer Center forward and inspire so many. As one parent summed up, “Great event! My son and I left feeling very inspired! Thank you!” 

Planning for One Day Closer 2027 is already underway. Faculty and trainees interested in collaborating or volunteering are encouraged to contact Rachael Privett.