Summer Undergraduate Neuroscience Program Wraps Up Successful Session
The Summer Undergraduate Neuroscience (SUN) Program recently wrapped up its 2026 session, with 20 participants completing the 10-week program. The program culminated with the SUN Research Symposium on July 29. Dr. Jeffrey Erickson moderated the symposium and participants delivered seven-minute presentations, followed by three minutes of question and answer.
The SUN Program offers undergraduate and high school students the opportunity to gain hands-on laboratory research experience and foundational education in the neurosciences. The SUN Program aims to attract outstanding undergraduate students majoring in neuroscience, biochemistry, genetics, psychology, biology, chemistry, and related disciplines who are eager to gain summer research experience in the fundamental sciences of the nervous system.
Since 1994, the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health New Orleans has played a pivotal role in advancing neuroscience research and education. Its mission is to cultivate a high-quality academic environment where investigations into the nervous system and related disorders are actively pursued. A key component of this mission is an outstanding faculty that builds and sustains a strong base of expertise in the field.
The core curriculum includes specialized lectures in topics such as investigative neuroscience, molecular neurobiology, behavioral neuroscience, and cell biology. Students gain practical experience by conducting hands-on research projects in the laboratories of the Neuroscience Center faculty. In addition to their lab work, participants engage in other brain science activities hosted by LSU Health New Orleans.
The Neuroscience Center of Excellence has become a hub of academic and scientific excellence. It has attracted top-tier researchers, substantial federal and private funding, and interest from the biomedical industry beyond Louisiana. Through rigorous research and effective translation from bench to bedside, the Center remains committed to uncovering the causes of neurological diseases and developing strategies to treat and prevent them.
One of the SUN Program’s greatest achievements has been transforming students’ view of research as a pathway to medical school and long-term success in healthcare. The program’s impact is evident in the accomplishments of the alumni. Former SUN students have gone on to become neurologists, ophthalmologists, emergency medicine physicians, internists, obstetricians and gynecologists, nursing, and dentists. This outcome demonstrates the program’s ability to inspire future healthcare leaders by providing them with the research experience, tools, and mentorship necessary to thrive in the medical field.
In the photo below, SUN interns and faculty are with Dr. Nicolas G. Bazan and Dr. Richard DiCarlo, Dean, School of Medicine while attending the International Symposium on Epigenetic Inheritance 2026. Pictured are SUN students Erica Moon, Renee Boudreaux, Terrance Vincent, Arleigh Hines, Elise Parnell, Natalie Devraj to the left of Dr. Nicolas G. Bazan, in addition Dr. Haydee E.P. Bazan, Dr. Guy Dunetz, Dr. Ifechukwude Biose (from the Cardiovascular Center of Excellence), Dr. Surjyadipta Bhattacharjee, and to the right SUN students Trecia Stanford, Miruna Petcu and Avery Dunbar.
