School of Medicine

Medical Student Summer Research Program

 

   

Overview

Welcome to the Summer Research Internship Program webpage! This program has succeeded in providing over 400 students with a meaningful research experience.
 

About the Program

The Summer Research Internship Program was founded in 2003 to provide opportunities for medical students in basic science or clinical research. The 8-week summer program works to cultivate students' interest in pursuing medical and research careers. Interns are matched with mentors in laboratories or clinics in New Orleans (LSUHSC-New Orleans campus, Stanley S. Scott Cancer, University Medical Center, or Children's Hospital of New Orleans), and throughout the state (e.g., Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge).

Students learn laboratory and clinical research techniques used in medical research. Required seminars are on topics such as responsible conduct in research and professional development, including how to prepare and present their research results and how to write an abstract.  All of the summer interns present their research results at the annual Medical Student Research Symposium which is routinely held in the fall semester.

After completing their summer internship, many student interns present their data at medical or scientific conferences, or have their research published in medical or scientific journals. Those students who wish to continue working on their summer research project throughout their academic education may apply to the Honors Program. The Honors Program allows students additional time to pursue their research goals, have their Honors status included in their transcript, write a manuscript, and to graduate with "Honors in Research" .

This program is funded by the LSU School of Medicine for research in the basic and clinical sciences, the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute (NIH-NCI), the Robert A. Winn Clinical Investigator Pathway Program (Winn CIPP), and the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) for research on alcohol abuse. 

Click here to view abstracts and posters from the 2025 Medical Student Research Symposium

Click here to view abstracts and posters from the 2024 Medical Student Research Symposium

Click here to view abstracts and posters from the 2023 Medical Student Research Symposium

Click here to view posters and presentations from the 2022 Poster Symposium

Click here to view posters and presentations from the 2021 Poster Symposium

Click here to view posters and presentations from the 2020 Poster Symposium 

 

 

 

2025 Medical Student Research Day Winners 

 

FRESHMAN/SOPHOMORE 
CATEGORY

 

1st Place Winners, Mitzie Hano Wittliff Research Award 

Ainsley Morgan

Co-Authors: J. Nicholas Poché MD, MS1; Stephen Hernandez MD; Katie Melder, MD; Daniel Nuss MD; Michael Dunham MD,MS

LSUHSC Department of Otolaryngology 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2nd Place Winners, Dean's Research Award (tie)

Jack Menard

Co-Authors: Tabitha Quebedeaux

LSUHSC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

2nd Place Winners, Dean's Research Award (tie)

Hamza Islam

Co-Authors: Sophia Liang, Hui Lyu, Bolin Liu

LSUHSC Department of Interdisciplinary Oncology and Department of Genetics

 

 

3rd Place Winners, Dean's Research Award (tie)

Zachary St. Pierre

Co-Authors: Madison Wolf, Jacob Chaisson, Ellery Hayden MD, Cole Lewis MD

LSUHSC Department of Neurosurgery

3rd Place Winners, Dean's Research Award (tie)

Farrell Chatelain

Co-Authors: Ayushi Patel, Huijing Xia, Dr. Eric Lazartigues

LSUHSC Cardiovascular Center of Excellence

Cancer Research Award Winner

Abigail Rink 

Co-Author:  Suresh K. Alahari, PhD

LSUHSC-Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Steve Nelson, MD Award for Excellence in Alcohol Research Winner

Anna Leyrer

Co-Authors: Meagan Donovan, Riley Haydell, Davin Gardner, Claire Martinez, Janos Paloczi, Dr. Stefany Primeaux

LSUHSC Department of Physiology,
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center of Excellence

JUNIOR/SENIOR
CATEGORY:

 

1st Place Winner, Margaret Raiford Hano Research Award

Alexandra Bartholomew

Co-Authors: Tara Castellano, MD; Pui Cheng, MD; Amelia Jernigan, MD; Julia Cazabon; Audrey Marsh, MD; Counti McCutchen; Ronja Bodola, PhD; Jason Mussell, PhD

LSUHSC Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy

2nd Place Winner, Dean's Research Award 

Madelaine Pickens

Co-Authors: Dongjoon Kim, Goreth Leite, Glenda Vargas, Mona Hijazi, Thales Guimaraes, Wadih M. Zein, Michel Michaelides, Maria Reinoso, Robert K. Koenekoop, Jennifer J. Lentz 

LSUHSC Neuroscience Center of Excellence; Department of Otorhinolaryngology

3rd Place Winner, Dean's Research Award (Tie)

Mary Robichaux

Co-Authors: Anne Caffery, MPH; Lauren Blasen, DO; Chelsey Sandlin, MD

LSUHSC Department of Pediatrics

3rd Place Winner, Dean's Research Award  (Tie)

Mary Robichaux

Co-Authors: Dr. Ian Hodgdon, MD, FACS

LSUHSC Department of Surgery

  

Cancer Research Award Winner

Brionna King

Co-Authors: Zhi Huang, Laura Naldi, Lucio Miele and Giulia Monticone

LSUHSC Department of Genetics