School of Medicine

Department of Genetics

2026 LSUHSC Summer Research Internship Program

Poster Session

 

Since 2003, the Summer Research Internship Program has provided research training opportunities for medical, undergraduate, and high school students 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 Dr. Charles Wood (LSUHSC LCMC Health Cancer Center and Dept. of Interdisciplinary Oncology). The program empowers students to cultivate their interest in pursuing careers in clinical sciences, public health, or basic sciences.


Funding support for the high school and undergraduate summer program was provided by:

  • Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation
  • Louisiana Cancer Research Center (LCRC)
  • LSUHSC School of Medicine, Office of the Dean
  • National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program
  • National Institute of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute (NCI)

 

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NSF
LCRC
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We extend our special appreciation to mentors, laboratory and administrative personnel, and poster session judges who helped make the Summer Research Internship Program a success! Their assistance with this project affords each student a chance to be part of a bigger, ongoing research project and an opportunity to pursue their career goals. 

High school and undergraduate summer interns are listed alphabetically by last name. Check back soon for uploaded abstracts and posters.

1. Radhika AlapurePortrait-style photo of a person standing against a plain white background, facing the camera. The person has long dark hair and is wearing a bright yellow blouse with decorative lace cap sleeves and a lace-trimmed front panel. The image is cropped from the upper torso upward, with even lighting and no visible accessories or background objects.
High School Student 
Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies

Mentor: Dr. Stephen Phillippi
LSU Health School of Public Health, Community Health Science & Policy

Comparing Treatments Among Youth: Exploring Potential Implications for Mental Health Stigma

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a person wearing a white collared shirt, facing the camera. The image is taken outdoors with a softly blurred background of trees and greenery. The person has short, dark hair, and the lighting is natural and even. The composition centers the subject, with the upper torso visible and the background providing a warm, natural setting.2. Haitham Aldahir
Undergraduate Student
Xavier University of Louisiana

Mentor: Dr. Fokhrul Hossain
LSU Health School of Medicine, Microbiology, Genetics & Immunology

Development of PDE10A Inhibitor for the treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Studio head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with short, curled hair wearing a bright green blazer over a white patterned blouse. The person is facing the camera against a light gray background.3. Savannah Anderson
Undergraduate Student
Centenary College of Louisiana

Mentor: Dr. Friederike Klempin
LSU Health School of Medicine, Neurology and Cell Biology and Anatomy

A Double Burden: Age- and Sex-Dependent Phenotype of Alzheimer’s Disease in 5xFAD Mice

Close-up portrait of a person with short, dark, wavy hair wearing a light gray T-shirt. The person is facing the camera against a plain light-colored wall with natural, even lighting.4. Cristian Apostolakis
Undergraduate Student
Mississippi State University

Mentor: Dr. Alison Smith
LSU Health School of Medicine, Surgery

Stem Cell Density-dependent Growth characteristics

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with short, dark, hair wearing rectangular eyeglasses, a dark blazer, and a patterned collared shirt. The person is facing the camera against a dark studio background with focused lighting on the face.5. Caiden Bergeron
High School Student 
Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts

Mentor: Dr. Joonha Chang
LSU Health School of Public Health, Biostatistics & Data Science

Towards Intoxication Detection via Non-invasive Natural Typing

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with long, dark, tightly curled hair wearing a burgundy top. The person is facing the camera against a plain light gray background with even studio lighting.6. Mariah Brandon
High School Student 
Mandeville High School

Mentor: Dr. Rachael Reed
LSU Health School of Public Health, Community Health Science & Policy

Assessment of the Menopause Community Resource Landscape for Black Women in Southeast Louisiana

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with long, reddish braided hair wearing a burgundy top. The person is facing the camera and smiling, with a small nose stud and earrings visible. The background is a plain light-colored wall with soft, natural lighting.7. Demi Brown
Undergraduate
Iona University

Mentor: Dr. Adrienne Katner
LSU Health School of Public Health, Environmental Health, Climate and Sustainability

Estimation of Impact of Playground Exposures to Soil Lead on Childhood Blood Lead Levels and IQ

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with shoulder-length dark hair wearing a black blazer over a light yellow patterned top. The person is facing the camera, wearing small stud earrings and a necklace with a pendant. The background is a plain light-colored wall with even indoor lighting.8. Nhu-Thao "Betsy" Cao
Undergraduate
Louisiana State University

Mentor: Dr. Adrienne Katner
LSU Health School of Public Health, Environmental Health, Climate and Sustainability

Impact of policy change to soil lead remediation guidelines on childhood lead exposure in New Orleans parks

Studio portrait of a person with long, straight dark hair wearing a white sweatshirt. The person is seated with their chin resting on one hand and is facing the camera. The background is a plain gray backdrop with soft, even studio lighting. Visible text on the sweatshirt includes a red and black logo.9. Elise Celestin
High School Student 
The Willow School

Mentor: Dr. Alison Quayle 
LSU Health School of Medicine, Cell Biology and Anatomy

Indolelactic acid (ILA) as a marker of vaginal health

Outdoor portrait of a person with long brown hair wearing a light-colored blouse and cardigan. The person is standing and facing the camera in a park-like setting with trees, grass, benches, and campus-style buildings visible in the background. Natural daylight provides soft, even lighting.10. Olivia Christovich
Undergraduate
Tulane University

Mentor: Dr. Michael Salling
LSU Health School of Medicine, Cell Biology and Anatomy

Automated Behavioral Analysis Using DeepLabCut for Mouse Behavioral Phenotyping

Formal studio portrait of a person with a full curly hairstyle wearing a black tuxedo jacket, white dress shirt, and black bow tie. The person is facing the camera against a mottled brown studio backdrop. Small stud earrings are visible, and the image is lit with traditional portrait-style studio lighting.11. Quinton Detiege
High School Student 
Benjamin Franklin High School

Mentor: Dr. Michael Celestin
LSU Health School of Public Health, Behavioral and Community Health

Changes in Youth Tobacco Product Access After Federal Tobacco 21 Legislation: Evidence from the National Youth Tobacco Survey

Formal studio portrait of a person with long, dark hair wearing a black off-the-shoulder lace top and a single-strand pearl necklace. The person is facing the camera against a soft blue-gray mottled studio background. The image is evenly lit and framed from the shoulders up.12. Yasmine Ferrell
Undergraduate
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - School of Nursing

Mentor: Dr. Joregelina Calandria
LSU Health School of Medicine, Neuroscience Center of Excellence 

Maresin-1 prevents alpha-synuclein activation of microglia in vitro and in vivo

Outdoor portrait of a person with long, dark wavy hair wearing a white blouse. The person is standing and facing the camera in an evening garden setting. Decorative tree lights and foliage are visible in the background, creating a warmly lit backdrop against the darker surroundings.13. Saanvi Gambhira
Undergraduate
Temple University 

Mentor: Dr. Victoria Belancio
Tulane University

Comparative RNA-Seq Analysis of Long Interspersed Element-1 (L1) Expression in Two- and Three-Dimensional models and Patient-Derived Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)

 

Indoor portrait of a person with short, dark hair wearing a light gray sweatshirt. The person is facing the camera in a hallway or classroom setting with beige walls and a drop ceiling visible in the background. The sweatshirt features large red text reading “PRINCETON.” The image is evenly lit with indoor lighting.14. Sohan Gummadi
Undergraduate
Seton Hall University 

Mentor: Dr. Hari Koul
LSU Health School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Oncology

The Impact of Obesity on Prostate Cancer

Outdoor portrait of a person with short, light-colored hair wearing a white collared polo shirt. The person is facing the camera with greenery and trees softly blurred in the background. The image is framed from the chest up and lit by natural daylight.15. Anderson Happel
Undergraduate
Louisiana State University

Mentor: Dr. Eric Lazartigues
LSU Health School of Medicine, Cardiovascular Center of Excellence

Sex-specific Metabolic and Cognitive Differences in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Is Ang IV-IRAP signaling involved?

Head-and-shoulders outdoor portrait of a person with shoulder-length light brown hair wearing a black collared shirt. The person is facing the camera with a blurred background of greenery and natural colors. The image is evenly lit with natural daylight and framed closely around the face and shoulders.16. Jake  Hebert
Undergraduate
Louisiana State University

Mentor: Dr. Fokhrul Hossain
LSU Health School of Medicine, Microbiology, Genetics & Immunology

Developing a CD36 Inhibitor as a Novel Therapeutic Agent for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with short dark hair wearing rectangular eyeglasses and a dark ribbed crew-neck shirt. The person is facing the camera indoors, positioned near a window with vertical blinds visible along the right side of the image. The background is a plain light-colored wall, and the image is lit by soft natural light from the window.17. Handerson Herrera Aguilar
Undergraduate

Mentor: Dr. Matthew Burrow 
Tulane University

Impact of MFAP5-Overexpressing on Breast Cancer Progression

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with shoulder-length dark curly hair wearing a black blazer over a white top. The person is facing the camera against a plain light gray background. A small pendant necklace is visible, and the image is evenly lit with studio-style lighting.18. Seema Hijazi
Undergraduate
Louisiana State University

Mentor: Dr. Rinku Majumder 
LSU Health School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Oncology

Protein S Modulates the Hypoxic Response in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Professional studio portrait of a person with long braided hair wearing a dark blazer over a light-colored top. The person is facing the camera against a gray mottled studio backdrop. The image is framed from the chest up and lit with even studio lighting.19. Emily Jemison
Undergraduate
Duke University 

Mentor: Dr. Xioacheng Wu  
LSU Health School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology & Population Health

To What Extent Does Social Environmental Ranking Explain Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Survival in Louisiana

Professional studio portrait of a person with short, dark wavy hair wearing round eyeglasses and a dark textured crew-neck sweater. The person is facing the camera against a dark gradient studio background. The image is framed from the chest up and lit with soft, focused studio lighting.20. Daniel Lee
Undergraduate
Princeton University

Mentor: Dr. Matthew Whim
LSU Health School of Medicine, Cell Biology & Anatomy 

Spatial Analysis of Cortex–Medulla Interactions in the Mouse Adrenal Gland

Close-up portrait of a person with long, dark hair wearing a light blue top. The person is facing the camera indoors, with a plain light-colored wall and part of a doorframe visible in the background. The image is softly lit by natural light and framed tightly around the face and shoulders.21. Audriana Li
High School Student 
Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies

Mentor: Dr. Guoshun Wang  
LSU Health School of Medicine, Microbiology, Genetics & Immunology

Investigating the Role of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in Gut Dysmotility and Inflammation in Cystic Fibrosis

Close-up portrait of a person with short, dark, tousled hair facing the camera against a solid blue background. The image is tightly cropped around the head and upper shoulders. The person is wearing a light-colored collared shirt and is photographed with even lighting, similar to an identification or school portrait style.22. Gavin Lim
High School Student 
Jesuit High School

Mentor: Dr. Michael Celestin  
LSU Health School of Public Health, Behavioral and Community Health

The Cognitive Vaping Gap: Examining Past-Year Quit Attempts Among Youth Electronic Vapor Users with and Without Cognitive Difficulties

Professional head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with long, dark hair wearing a dark top. The person is facing the camera against a neutral gray studio background. The image is closely framed around the head and shoulders and lit with soft, even studio lighting.23. Jasmine Matsuda
Undergraduate
Mt San Antonio College

Mentor: Dr. Joregelina Calandria  
LSU Health School of Medicine, Neuroscience Center of Excellence 

Characterization of astrocytes phenotype in models of alpha-synuclein toxicity

Indoor portrait of a person with long, dark hair wearing a dark denim jacket. The person is standing beside a large floral arrangement featuring bright pink flowers and tall, feathery beige stems. Warm decorative lights and an indoor walkway are visible in the softly blurred background. The image is lit with warm ambient lighting and framed from the waist up.24. Laci May
Undergraduate
Louisiana State University

Mentor: Dr. Won Seok Yang
LSU Health School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Oncology

Evaluation of RhoA Activation in RSK2-Mediated Invasion in Pancreatic Cancer

Professional head-and-shoulders studio portrait of a person with dark hair pulled back, wearing a sleeveless dark dress. The person is facing the camera against a soft gray mottled background. The image is evenly lit with studio lighting and framed from the upper torso up.25. Katherine  Miller
Undergraduate
Louisiana State University

Mentor: Dr. Siqiong "June" Liu 
LSU Health School of Medicine, Cell Biology and Anatomy

tES Induces Frequency Dependent Patterns of Neuronal Activation

 

Professional head-and-shoulders studio portrait of a person with straight, shoulder-length dark hair wearing a dark cardigan over a light-colored top. The person is facing the camera against a blue-gray mottled studio background. Two delicate necklaces are visible. The image is framed from the chest up and lit with soft, even studio lighting.26. Erica Moon 
Undergraduate
Tulane University

Mentor: Dr. Xiaoching Li 
LSU Health School of Medicine, Cell Biology and Anatomy and Neuroscience Center of Excellence

Learning experience shapes neuron structure and gene expression in the song circuit during the critical period

Professional outdoor portrait of a person wearing a gray business suit, light blue dress shirt, and striped tie. The person is facing the camera with one arm resting on a ledge. The image is framed from the chest up, with a softly blurred architectural background in neutral tones. Natural lighting provides clear, even illumination.27. Taj Oberhelman
Undergraduate
University of Utah

Mentor: Dr. Janos Paloczi  
LSU Health School of Medicine, Physiology

Alcohol-Induced Cardiac Remodeling: An Age-Dependent Vulnerability

Professional portrait of a person with shoulder-length dark hair wearing rectangular eyeglasses and a sleeveless burgundy dress. The person is standing with arms crossed in front of a red brick wall. The image is framed from the waist up and lit with natural outdoor lighting.28. Avery Pernia
Undergraduate
Tulane University

Mentor: Dr. Liz Simon Peter 
LSU Health School of Medicine, Physiology

mir-206 expression in plasma-derived extracellular vesicles in children with cerebral palsy

Professional head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with long box braids wearing a light-colored top and a nameplate necklace. The person is facing the camera against a plain light gray studio background. The image is closely cropped around the face and shoulders and lit with bright, even studio lighting.29. NyEla Pete
Undergraduate
Xavier Univeristy 

Mentor: Dr. Jiri Adamec  
LSU Health School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Oncology

The use MALDI-MSI to spatially map lipids, N-glycans, and peptides in Pancreatic Ductal Carcinoma

Professional head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with long, dark wavy hair wearing eyeglasses and a light tan collared polo shirt. A circular Xavier University of Louisiana logo is visible on the left side of the shirt. The person is facing the camera against a neutral gray mottled studio background. The image is framed from the chest up and lit with soft, even studio lighting.30. Amyri Pritchett
Undergraduate
Xavier Univeristy 

Mentor: Dr. Maria Sanchez-Pino
LSU Health School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Oncology

Optimization of an in vitro 3D method for studying modulators of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment for enhancing the response to immunotherapy

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with long, straight dark hair wearing a long-sleeved mauve top. The person is facing the camera against a plain light gray background. The image is closely framed around the head and upper torso and lit with soft, even lighting, similar to a school or professional portrait photograph.31. Shanlee Raimer
High School Student 
St. Mary's Dominican High School

Mentor: Dr. Rajani Maiya
LSU Health School of Medicine, Physiology

Characterization of Ependymal Cells and CSF-Contacting Neurons in the Cerebral Aqueduct

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with long, dark hair wearing a dark top and small hoop earrings. The person is facing the camera against a plain light-colored background. The image is closely cropped around the face and shoulders and lit with soft, even lighting, similar to an identification or school portrait photograph.32. Usha  Ramdall
Undergraduate
New York University

Mentor: Dr. Ed Trapido 
LSU Health School of Public Health, Epidemiology & Population Health

Associations Between Five-year Cancer Survival, Natural Hazard Risk, Community Resilience, and Social Vulnerability in Louisiana

Formal studio portrait of a person with curly hair and eyeglasses wearing a black tuxedo jacket, white dress shirt, and black bow tie. The person is facing the camera against a blue-gray mottled studio background. The image is framed from the chest up and lit with soft, even portrait lighting.33. Sebastian Salm
Undergraduate
Emory University 

Mentor: Dr. Charles Wood  
LSU Health School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Oncology

Post-mortem identification of Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus reservoirs despite seronegative status

Outdoor portrait of a person with shoulder-length curly hair wearing a sleeveless floral dress with pink and coral flowers. The person is standing in a doorway with one hand resting on the doorframe and the other on their hip. Delicate necklaces are visible. The background includes a building entrance with glass panels and architectural details, softly blurred by the shallow depth of field. The image is framed from the waist up and lit with natural daylight.34. Hope Singleton
Undergraduate
Howard University

Mentor: Dr. Tekeda Ferguson  
LSU Health School of Public Health, Epidemiology & Population Health

Evaluating the Association Between Alcohol Misuse and Alcohol Treatment Utilization in the New Orleans Alcohol Use in HIV (NOAH) Study

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with short, dark hair wearing a dark quarter-zip fleece pullover. The person is facing the camera against a plain light-colored wall. Embroidered text on the pullover reads “R. SRIVASTAVA,” and a “Holy Cross” emblem is visible on the opposite side. The image is framed from the chest up and lit with even indoor lighting.35. Rohit  Srivastava
Undergraduate
Baylor Univeristy 

Mentor: Dr. Qiang Shen 
LSU Health School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Oncology

Targeting CISD1 to Overcome Endocrine Resistance in Breast Cancer

Professional head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with long braided hair wearing a black top. Multiple ear piercings and a necklace with a script-style name pendant are visible. The person is facing the camera against a plain light gray studio background. The image is framed from the chest up and lit with soft, even studio lighting.36. Laniyah Thurman
Undergraduate
Tulane University

Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Fang  
LSU Health School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Oncology

Role of Twist in Extracellular Matrix Remodeling for Tumor Angiogenesis

 

Outdoor portrait of a person with shoulder-length light-colored hair wearing a long-sleeved white dress with a floral pattern and decorative trim. The person is standing with hands clasped in front, facing the camera in a garden setting. Softly blurred greenery, flowers, and trees fill the background. The image is framed from about the knees up and lit with natural daylight, creating a bright, professional portrait.37. Abigail Toups
Undergraduate
University of Mississippi

Mentor: Dr. Li Shen
LSU Health School of Medicine, Microbiology, Genetics & Immunology

Investigating cysteine-mediated interactions between Chlamydia trachomatis Chaperones Scc1 and Scc4

Professional head-and-shoulders studio portrait of a person with shoulder-length, side-parted dark hair wearing a black off-the-shoulder lace top. The person is facing the camera against a light gray background. The image is closely cropped around the head and shoulders and lit with soft, even studio lighting.38. Sydnie Washington
Undergraduate
Xavier University

Mentor: Dr. Xinping Yue  
LSU Health School of Medicine, Cardiovascular Center of Excellence

Effects of High Fat Diet on Placental ACE2 Expression and Vascularization in Female Mice

Portrait of a person with braided hair styled to one side and gathered into a low bun, wearing a white V-neck formal gown. A decorative necklace with a pendant and matching earrings are visible. The person is facing the camera against a plain beige indoor wall.39. Kyelle Westley
High School Student 
New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School

Mentor: Dr. Peter Winsaur  
LSU Health School of Medicine, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Experimental Therapeutics

Acute Rate-Decreasing and Antinociceptive Effects of Morphine and Oxycodone in Male and Female Long-Evans Rats

Close-up outdoor portrait of a person wearing large clear-framed eyeglasses and a yellow T-shirt. The person is facing the camera beneath a covered outdoor walkway. A brick column, chain-link fence, and greenery are visible in the background. Partially visible black text appears on the T-shirt. The image is framed closely around the face and shoulders and lit with natural daylight.40. Imille Woodard
Undergraduate
Grambling State University 

Mentor: Dr. Michael Celestin
LSU Health School of Public Health, Behavioral and Community Health

Associations Between E-Cigarette Use Frequency and Mental Health Symptoms on Adolescent Academic Performance

Nighttime outdoor portrait of a person with short, dark hair wearing a light-colored T-shirt and a backpack with visible shoulder straps. The person is facing the camera. In the background, a large tree and a multi-story residential-style building with balconies and illuminated windows are visible. The image is framed from the chest up and lit by ambient outdoor lighting at night.41. Elijah Yang
High School Student 
Isidore Newman School

Mentor: Dr. Ping Wang
LSU Health School of Medicine, Microbiology, Genetics & Immunology

Genetic Complementation of the EDE1 Endocytosis Mutant in the Pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans

Professional head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with long, straight dark hair wearing a patterned black-and-white blouse. Small earrings and a delicate necklace are visible. The person is facing the camera against a plain light gray background. The image is framed from the chest up and lit with soft, even studio lighting, similar to a professional or academic portrait.42. Mingyi Zhang
Undergraduate
Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Mentor: Dr. Dicle Yalcin  
LSU Health School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Oncology

Baseline humoral antibody repertoires in HIV-1 infected KS patients against Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) using high-resolution antibody profiling

Outdoor portrait of a person with shoulder-length wavy hair wearing rectangular eyeglasses and a sleeveless dark blue dress with a small white dot pattern. A necklace with a heart-shaped pendant is visible. The person is facing the camera in front of a building entrance with wooden beams and windows in the background. The image is framed from the chest up and lit with soft natural daylight.42. Lillianne Ziegler
Undergraduate
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Mentor: Dr. Deidre Devier
LSU Health School of Medicine, Neurology and Cell Biology and Anatomy

Effects of Neighborhood Deprivation and Cortisol on Cognition in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis