Leon Wang Named Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar
Leon Wang ’26 has been named a 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar, earning national recognition for his Alzheimer’s research through King’s ASPIRE program. Regeneron Science Talent Search is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition for high school seniors.
Administered by the Society for Science, the Regeneron Science Talent Search identifies the top 300 STEM students in the United States based on originality, depth of research, and scientific promise.
“King's ASPIRE program has helped me realize that research is something that I'm interested in pursuing in my college education and graduate school experience, no matter which field I end up going into,” said Leon, who is also part of the Math Team, the Ambassadors Club, and the Debate Team.
As a Regeneron Top Scholar, Leon will receive a $2,000 scholarship award to the university of his choosing. King will also receive $2,000 in recognition of his achievement to support other students’ projects in the future.
“Each year when the Top Scholar list is published, I hold my breath searching for King amongst the awardees,” said Director of Science Research Victoria Schulman. “I was absolutely delighted to see Leon’s name pop up! He is also one of the most meticulous students I have, and he leaves no stone unturned, which undoubtedly helped him achieve greatness in his research. I'm so happy that his work is being celebrated in such a prestigious way.”
This recognition honors Leon’s advanced research conducted through ASPIRE, the school’s signature science and research initiative. Driven by curiosity and the personal experience of losing his grandfather to the disease, he focused on Alzheimer’s and was matched with the Blanchard Lab at Mount Sinai Research Hospital in New York.
Leon’s work explores potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease in patients with the most common genetic risk factor, APOE4. By identifying similarities between disease mechanisms in Alzheimer’s and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, he investigated whether two already FDA-approved pulmonary fibrosis drugs could slow Alzheimer’s progression. His findings demonstrated reduced disease progression in stem cell cultures carrying the genetic risk factor, pointing toward promising avenues for future research.
“When I finally analyzed the data for my first successful drug experiment, I realized that the drugs I was working with could have a real medical impact on patients,” he said. “That realization motivated me through the rest of my research project and continues to motivate me to conduct research at the University of Pennsylvania, where I'll be studying neuroscience.”
While the project is ongoing, Leon has presented his work at science fairs, including the International Forum on Research Excellence hosted by Sigma Xi. He has also worked on a paper that is currently published as a preprint online at Cell, one of only three top-ranked peer-reviewed journals for biology.
“What I admire most about Leon is that, even when his project was completed, he immediately started brainstorming new ideas for where he could take it next,” said Schulman. "He is not done sorting out this neurological mystery, and I cannot wait to see what he accomplishes next!”
When he learned of the Regeneron recognition, Schulman recalls Leon running down the hall to her classroom, out of breath with the news. The two shared a celebratory moment that Schulman says captures why she loves teaching. That momentum continues to shape how Leon thinks about his work and what comes next, including the role research may play in his future.
Leon’s achievement reflects his intellectual rigor and dedication, as well as King’s emphasis on experiential, real-world research. His selection as a Regeneron Scholar places him among the nation’s most promising young scientists.
The ASPIRE program is supported by the Advanced Mathematics and Science Study Program endowed fund established in 2018 by Margharet, Frank, Bea, and William Nash to support select students with demonstrated ability and interest in achieving true excellence within science, technology, engineering, or mathematics in global competition preparation or laboratory research experiences.