Summer Research Program for High School and Undergraduate Students

Welcome to the Summer Research Internship Program webpage! We are excited that you are interested in our program. 

The Summer Research Internship Program was started in 2003 by Dr. Paula Gregory and Dr. Fern Tsien. For 19 years, Dr. Gregory and Dr. Tsien directed the program which has provided more than 400 research experiences for medical, college, and high school students. The current directors of the program are Dr. Tsien, Ms. Martha Cuccia, and Dr. Jovanny Zabaleta.  The program works to cultivate students’ interest in pursuing medical and research careers in the basic or clinical sciences, or public health. 

For eight weeks in the summer, student interns usually work with the mentors in laboratories or clinics at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, University Medical Center, or Children’s Hospital, all in New Orleans. Interns learn techniques used in the health sciences laboratories, gain research study skills, and experience professional development and career preparation through weekly program seminars. Additionally, they receive training in presentation skills, including how to prepare a presentation for a scientific meeting.  At program end, all interns present their research findings at a poster session or oral symposium.

Since its inception, more than 400 students from throughout the United States have participated in the Summer Research Program. Because of this program, some of Louisiana’s best and brightest undergraduates, some who have attended school within the state and other who have enrolled in universities elsewhere, have been introduced to the opportunities available here in Louisiana. After completion of the internship, many interns have presented their research at medical or scientific conferences, have had their research published in medical or scientific journals, have had received acceptance to medical and graduate schools, and/or have gained employment in STEM fields. 

Funding is provided by LSU School of Medicine, the Louisiana Department of Health; the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute (NIH-NCI); National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU); the Taylor Foundation; and the Louisiana Cancer Research Center (LCRC).

Click here to see a video from Poster Day
 

2023 LSUHSC Summer Research Internship Poster Session

 

 

2022 Undergraduate Category Winners

(From Left to Right: Dr. Corey Hebert, Dr. Jovanny Zabaleta, Dr. Fern Tsien, Madison Priestley, Kaitlyn Hawkins, Sarah Frances, Marcelle Ellis, Macey Owens, Hinali Patel, Farhana Islam, Dr. Hamilton Farris, Martha Cuccia, Ahmed El-Desoky)
 

2022 High School Category Winners

(From Left to Right: Dr. Corey Hebert, Dr. Fern Tsien, Martha Cuccia, Dr. Jovanny Zabaleta, Natalie Thayer, Anma Rathor, Dr. Chindo Hicks, Gabrielle Alphonse, Eric Fisher, Amy Liu, Charlotte Raymond, Dr. Kelly Sherman)

 

 

                             (Derrick Pugh, II)

 

                              (Anita Zahari)

 

                                    (Mark Fisher)

 

                   (From Left to Right: Dr. Arnold Zea, Derrick Pugh, II)

 

                    (From Left to Right: Dr. Li Li, Joussette Alvarado)
 

 

              (From Left to Right: Samuel Martin, Dr. Ches'que Phillips)

 

                                              (Jordyn Fong)

 

Program Resources

Past and Present Abstracts