^{Yash Soni poses with (from left) Joan Koerber-Walker, president and CEO of AZBio, Eric Reiman, PhD, professor of Psychiatry at the college, and Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz, PhD, a professor of Basic Medical Sciences and OB/GYN at the college.}

Yash Soni received the prestigious award from the Arizona Bioindustry Association’s Student Discovery Zone Competition

Recently, Yash Soni, a participant in the 2024 Flinn Foundation Summer Internship Program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, received the first-place prize award for the Arizona Bioindustry Association’s (AZBio) Student Discovery Zone Competition.

Soni, a senior at Arizona State University majoring in biomedical informatics and data science, was given the opportunity to showcase his research — some of which he conducted while a part of the internship — to AZBio. 

“Presenting our lab’s research to leaders in the biotechnology industry was a really rewarding experience,” Soni said. “The opportunity to connect with so many prominent professionals in the field was invaluable.”

Soni’s research focuses on knocking out estrogen receptor Alpha, which is found in kisspeptin neurons. It also examined the effects of this between males and females as the models grew into adults.

According to the study, there was a distinct difference; and the results showed that disrupting estrogen receptor Alpha resulted in sex-specific changes in Luteinizing Hormone pulsatility.

During his tenure in the summer internship, he worked closely with Ariel Negron, PhD, assistant research professor at the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson, and Sally Radovick, MS, MD, professor of Pediatrics and director of the Clinical and Translational Research Institute at the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson.

“Learning how to conduct research and translate our work into a poster showed me how our findings can move from the bench to clinical interventions,” Soni said. “It was fascinating to experience the entire research process, from the initial experiments to the final presentation”

Throughout his time in the lab, Soni mastered a wide range of techniques, including animal husbandry, isolation of DNA and genotyping analysis using polymerase chain reaction.

Before participating in the Flinn Foundation Summer Internship program, Soni lacked extensive knowledge of medical research. The internship helped shape Soni’s skillset, moving it beyond basic science research to that of a future scientist.

“It was eye-opening to see how our research can directly impact patients’ lives,” Soni said. “The experience also showed me how many paths are available within the field of medicine.”

For Dr. Radovick and Dr. Negron, Soni has distinguished himself as an outstanding and dedicated student. His willingness to sacrifice personal time and his enthusiasm for each task set him apart. 

“His commitment to the integrity and success of this work was evident in every aspect of his performance,” Dr. Negron said. “Moreover, Soni actively sought to deepen his understanding of reproductive physiology by engaging with relevant scientific literature.”

Dr. Radovick noted that Soni’s exemplary qualities and strong work ethic will serve him well in his future biomedical career.

“Soni is mature, ethical and a pleasure to work with. His critical thinking skills and collaborative nature make him an invaluable team member,” Dr. Radovick said. “His professionalism, enthusiasm for science and ability to work effectively with others are truly commendable.”

About the College

Founded in 2007, the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix inspires and trains exemplary physicians, scientists and leaders to advance its core missions in education, research, clinical care and service to communities across Arizona. The college’s strength lies in our collaborations and partnerships with clinical affiliates, community organizations and industry sponsors. With our primary affiliate, Banner Health, we are recognized as the premier academic medical center in Phoenix. As an anchor institution of the Phoenix Bioscience Core, the college is home to signature research programs in neurosciences, cardiopulmonary diseases, immunology, informatics and metabolism. These focus areas uniquely position us to drive biomedical research and bolster economic development in the region.

As an urban institution with strong roots in rural and tribal health, the college has graduated more than 1,000 physicians and matriculates 130 students each year. Greater than 60% of matriculating students are from Arizona and many continue training at our GME sponsored residency programs, ultimately pursuing local academic and community-based opportunities. While our traditional four-year program continues to thrive, we will launch our recently approved accelerated three-year medical student curriculum with exclusive focus on primary care. This program is designed to further enhance workforce retention needs across Arizona.

The college has embarked on our strategic plan for 2025 to 2030. Learn more.

By: Chase Congleton | December 15, 2025 | Original Post