By Denivia Rivera
Gabriella Elliott, senior at John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore, analyzed ways doctors responded to patients depending on their race in a social science research study based on implicit racial bias. Elliott is one of 12 high school seniors from the Town of Hempstead recognized for their success in the 2025 Regeneron Science Talent Search.
The Regeneron Science Talent Search is a national scholarship competition open to high school students across the country and is considered among the most prestigious such contests. Scholarships are awarded to students who advance as semifinalists and finalists.
Town Supervisor Donald Clavin said the Town of Hempstead did exceptionally well in producing 10 semifinalists and two finalists this year.
“Nationally, there are only 300 semifinalists and 40 finalists, and that’s further proof that the Town of Hempstead is home to some of the best schools and educational professionals in the United States,” Clavin said.
Gabriella Elliot
Elliott was recently named a semifinalist in the 2025 Regeneron Science Talent Search. Her research project was titled “The Use of Diagnostic Coding Processes in the Analysis of Verbal Behaviors To Enhance Patient-Provider Connection.”
“My study involved medical doctors taken from different practices and hospitals across the New York City region. They met with patients, who were actors portraying patients in a simulated encounter,” Elliott said. “That was my mentor Dr. Cristina Gonzalez’s research, but I analyzed the transcripts of those interactions.” Gonzalez is a professor of medicine and population health at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine.
Elliott analyzed how doctors responded to White patients compared with patients of color. “I employed diagnostic coding to see which behaviors occurred most frequently, and I compared how often certain behaviors occurred with patients who were played by the White actor that met with physicians who were more pro-White versus doctors who were more pro-Black and met with a White patient,” Elliott said. “I compare how they were treating their patients based on their race.”
Elliott said she chose this topic because she watched a documentary on maternal mortality rates as a sophomore in high school. She learned that death rates are more frequent for Black mothers than White mothers.
“After I learned about the research, my mentor had me read four transcripts of the encounters to get an initial feeling to see if I wanted to continue with that project,” Elliott said. “I remember saying to her, ‘One of these transcripts felt really cold,’ and she wanted us to dive into that.
“If there is a cold feeling in an encounter, then the patient is not going to feel like they’re being respected and heard,” Elliott said. “That cold feeling that I sensed just happened to be the foundation of my research.”
“I employed diagnostic coding to see which behaviors occurred most frequently, and I compared how often certain behaviors occurred with patients who were played by the White actor that met with physicians who were more pro-White versus doctors who were more pro-Black and met with a White patient.”
Gabriella Elliot, Regeneron Semifinalist
Elliott was one of five Regeneron semifinalists from John F. Kennedy High School. The other four were Mark Prainito, Joleen Shau, Jayden Simon and Mason Tso.
Semifinalists receive $2,000 scholarships, and $2,000 is awarded to their science research program.
“Since there were five of us, my school got $10,000,” said Elliott. “The school is definitely going to level up on their equipment. I think they already started purchasing 3D printers and new TVs to put inside of our classroom. I think that’s really good for the future generations of the program.”
Elliott said being named a semifinalist has encouraged her to continue research in college. “Even before I was a semifinalist, I definitely wanted to continue doing research in the future, but since I was named one, I want to experience that feeling that I felt when I first got named,” said Elliott. “I want to major in psychology when I go to college next year and go to medical school to become a psychiatrist. I want to use the foundation that I’ve already built.”
Amy Xiao
Amy Xiao, a Garden City High School senior, was one of two Regeneron finalists from the Town of Hempstead this year. Her research project was titled “Exploring Citrin as a Therapeutic Target for Cancer Treatment Through a Clinical, Pharmacologic and Metabolic Lens.”
Xiao’s work explored a protein called citrin that could aid in the survival of cancer patients. “I had previously done some work in the lab about cancer metabolism and how to target specific pathways,” Xiao said. “When I was reading about one of those pathways, I read about this citrin protein, and I was surprised that it didn’t have a full protein structure. I saw that when the gene for this protein is mutated, the cancer patients have better survival. I was shocked because that means this protein must be important in cancer patients.”
Xiao said she used computational tools to help her find existing drugs to block or inhibit the protein. “I decreased the levels of the protein and found that this was associated with metabolic changes within the cell that suggested an essential nutrient for cancer cells was decreased,” Xiao said. “This suggests that perhaps targeting this protein could be a way to deprive cancer cells of this essential nutrient.”
In her research, Xiao explored new tools and programs to aid in her discoveries. “It was really fun for me to learn new tools, and it’s even better knowing that this could potentially help someone someday,” Xiao said. “I got to have fun learning new things but also know that this could be helpful.”
“I had previously done some work in the lab about cancer metabolism and how to target specific pathways,” Xiao said. “When I was reading about one of those pathways, I read about this citrin protein, and I was surprised that it didn’t have a full protein structure.”
Amy Xiao, Regeneron Finalist
Xiao was the only student in her school to advance as a finalist. Finalists of the competition receive a $25,000 scholarship and a trip to Washington, D.C. for Finals Week.
“I get to go to D.C. for a week, and there’s more judging to determine who will be in the Top 10. I’m not worried about that. I’m just determined to have fun because it’s a celebration of our achievements,” Xiao said. “We have field trips to various places, and I landed in a group going to the National Art Museum in D.C. I’m also excited to meet the other finalists and see what their projects are about.”
Xiao said she didn’t expect to advance to a finalist position when working on her research project. “It was really just my passion project and me trying to learn new things. I thought I was just doing this at home initially like I was just having fun learning new tools,” Xiao said. “I didn’t realize that it would be able to get this far and be approved by Ph.D. scientists as something important.”
Xiao said she committed to Yale University and is excited to explore new topics in college. “I think getting the title of finalist made me realize if I want to do something I just need to put in the work and believe in myself,” she said.
