The Department of Biomedical Engineering’s Associate Chair for Research and Development Chandra Mohan, Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Endowed Professor, oversees the Cullen College of Engineering’s Mohan Lab and its annual Mohanlab Summer Internship Program for High School Students (MLSI).
Ten rising seniors, upon completing one to two weeks of instruction and introduction to basic laboratory techniques, undertake bench research under the guidance of a participating scientist or graduate student over a period of eight weeks. Research areas include biomedical sciences, biomedical engineering, big data analytics (including AI and image analyses) and neuroscience.
At the end of the eight-week program, students orally present their research findings; depending on the project and area of research, some of their findings may contribute towards research publications. Students also have the option of continuing their research with the lab beyond the internship period, engaging in manuscript writing and data analysis.
“The students who participate in the program get a unique opportunity to participate in actual ongoing biomedical research,” said Sofia Cantu, Core Scientist with the Mohan Lab. “Many of the projects that the students have worked on in the past are being written up as or have had manuscripts published about the work completed over the course of the internship. Our program is also unique since we are the largest single-lab summer internship that is available for high schoolers across the country! Our students get the opportunity to be hands-on in a lab, which is not an opportunity afforded to many students their age.”
One of the program’s highlights, according to Cantu, is its excellent team of mentors, without whom the program could not run so successfully.
“For them to take the time to introduce students to projects that oftentimes have years of work already put into them and find a meaningful way for them to contribute within the time frame is not easy, so we have greatly appreciated their hard work each and every summer we have run this program.”
“Providing an opportunity for young scholars passionate about science and wanting to get introduced into a professional research environment is something extremely valuable and part of the core principles of Mohan Lab,” Cantu added.
More details about the program, including project information and testimonials from previous MLSI students, can be found on the Mohan Lab’s website.