LHSI Intern: Research Opportunity, slowing bone loss and growing new bone

Program Summary:  

This internship is offered as a part of the Life-Health Sciences Internship Program (LHSI). This program connects 125 IUI undergraduates per year with internships on campus with faculty and staff in a variety of health and science related campus areas/programs. All LHSI internships start in August 2025 and end in May 2026 and are paid $13/hour for up to 10 hours per week. Work-study is accepted but not required. 

Supervisor: Dr. Angela Bruzzaniti

Department/Office: Dentistry and Medicine; Biomedical Sciences and Comprehensive Care

Overview of the internship site: How do the different bone cells work together to control how much bone is made, and how much is lost? Our long-term goal is to slow bone loss and to grow new bone. Our lab is focused on studying the bone cells that control bone mass with the long-term goal of treating bone diseases. The research will include analysis of the bone phenotype of transgenic mice that have either high or low bone mass, perform cell-based experiments to understand how osteoclasts degrade bone and/or how osteoblasts make bone, and to examine the interaction of the bone cells with each other and in the presence of different drugs that accelerate bone repair.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Perform supervised and independent experiments using cells or tissues. Perform biochemical assays, Western blotting, PCR, and histology. Learn to use specialized software to examine changes in bone properties. Analyze data, prepare graphs, write reports, and present findings at scientific meetings. Contribute to laboratory though research and related activities

Work Environment and Dress Code: The work is performed primarily in a lab setting with dress code laboratory appropriate apparel; lab coat and PPE provided.

Hours per week: 4-6, scheduling is flexible; regular work hours or after hours and weekend (after appropriate training completed)

Project-specific qualifications: Good hand skills; fast learner; independent, but also works well with others; good basic computer skills; previous lab experience helps, but is not essential. The research you will conduct has applications in dentistry and medicine!

By the end of the LHSI program, you will:

·        Carefully consider, explore, and articulate your career goals, including an analysis of how you arrived at that path and what steps you need to take next. (Community Contributor, Communicator)

·        Understand your role and strengths on a professional team and analyze who you would like to become as a professional. (Communicator)

·        Gain and strengthen skills relevant to next steps after graduation, such as communication, collaboration, teamwork, analysis/synthesis/evaluation, independence, confronting/challenging failure, problem-solving and perseverance, and constructive criticism. (Problem Solver, Communicator)

·        Convey ideas and knowledge effectively through an ePortfolio and presentation of your internship work. (Problem Solver, Communicator)

·        Set and meet your own additional learning goals identified with your supervisor.

LHSI Qualifications  

·        must be graduating May 2027 or after (usually a current freshman or sophomore in Spring 2025)   

·        Current full-time IUPUI undergraduate

·        minimum overall GPA of 2.0 

·        All majors welcome

To apply:

LHSI accepts at least 125 interns per year. Complete the application for LHSI at lhsi.indianapolis.iu.edu and select 3-4 internship sites on that application. All available sites are listed in Handshake and will start with the position title “LHSI Intern.” You will meet with at least 2 of these if selected for interviews.