School of Medicine

More than 40 High School and Undergraduate Students Complete LSU Health New Orleans Summer Internship Program

Family and friends, along with LSU Health New Orleans faculty, staff and trainees, came together at the 23^rd Annual Research Symposium, to learn about the research conducted by 42 high school and undergraduate summer interns. The summer interns presented their posters, received feedback from judges, and connected with members of the LSU Health New Orleans community during the program’s annual poster session, held on Friday, July 24.

After completing eight to ten weeks under the mentorship of researchers in the Schools of Medicine, Public Health and Graduate Studies, these future scientific leaders will return this fall to their home school institutions in Louisiana and throughout the United States, bringing with them new knowledge, skills and perspectives regarding health research to continue advancing science and ultimately positively impacting various communities. 

The 2026 high school and undergraduate interns’ projects can be viewed on the LSUHSC Department of Genetics' website.

Since 2003, the program has been under the leadership of Dr. Fern Tsien (LSUHSC LCMC Health Cancer Center and Dept. of Microbiology, Genetics, and Immunology). Co-directors include Ms. Martha Cuccia (School of Public Health), Dr. Kelly Jean Sherman (Dept. of Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Experimental Therapeutics), Dr. Jovanny Zabaleta (LSUHSC LCMC Health Cancer Center and Dept. of Interdisciplinary Oncology), Dr. Hamilton Farris (Neuroscience Center and Dept. of Cell Biology and Anatomy), and Dr. Charles Wood (LSUHSC LCMC Health Cancer Center and Dept. of Interdisciplinary Oncology). Since its 2003 inception, more than 230 high school, 610 undergraduate, and 750 medical students have participated in this program (a total of 1,590 summer students conducting scientific research). Some of Louisiana’s best and brightest students who were introduced to groundbreaking research via the program have co-authored medical or scientific journal articles; presented at conferences; pursued medical and graduate education; and/or launched a career in STEM.

Funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, Louisiana Cancer Research Center, the Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation and the LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine.