Senior is Regeneron Scholar

Congratulations to Jack D'Cruz '26 for his recognition by the Society for Science as a scholar and finalist in the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. 

Jack is one of only 300 students nationwide to earn this recognition and its prize, and one of only four in Ohio. In this 85th year of the Science Talent Search, the scholars are from 203 American and international high schools in 34 states, Washington D.C., and China. 

His original scientific work is titled "Immunoproteasome Activation Enhances Melanoma Immunogenicity by Increasing HLA and MAGE-A1 Antigen Presentation." Jack is researching a new drug's effectiveness at making cancer cells more "visible" to the immune system so it can recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively. This represents a novel immunotherapy approach, targeting the cancer cells rather than the cells of the immune system. 

Jack has worked at the Driscoll Lab of Case Western Reserve University for the last three summers and is part of the team that discovered this new drug. He said he is drawn to the cutting-edge nature of immunotherapy research and its potential benefits for patients. Jack shared, "While many existing cancer treatments, like chemotherapies, can be quite effective, the side effects are often devastating. What excites me about immunotherapy is that the human body has evolved incredibly sophisticated systems over millennia to recognize and destroy cancer cells. However, sometimes small parts of these systems are disrupted, leading to deadly diseases. In this case, cancer cells are mutating to hide the signals the immune system uses to identify them. By restoring those signals, we can help an already efficient system become even more effective."

Dr. Sara Laux, Upper School Science Department Chair and Science Teacher, said, "Jack’s passion for learning and mastery of the scientific process have consistently distinguished him as a top-tier student. From day one, Jack demonstrated an exceptional curiosity and determination to understand the world around him. Whether conducting an on-campus ecology study on microplastic concentrations in wastewater lagoons or contributing to multiple research projects as a student intern at Case Western Reserve University, his energy and work ethic were unmistakable. His achievements, including recognition as a Regeneron Science Talent Search Top 300 Scholar, are a testament to his hard work."

Jack previously presented this research, which is also his ongoing Strnad Fellows independent project, at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) event in Columbus in May 2025. 

The Regeneron Science Talent Search received entries from over 2,600 students from 826 high schools across 46 states, Washington, D.C., Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and 16 countries—US citizens living abroad are eligible to apply. Scholars were chosen based on their outstanding research, leadership skills, community involvement, commitment to academics, creativity in asking scientific questions, and exceptional promise as STEM leaders, demonstrated through the submission of their original, independent research projects, essays, and recommendations. 

Read the press release from the Society for Science and see a list of all Top 300 Science Talent Search Scholars and their projects here.