LHSI Intern: Walker Lab Internship

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. Chandler L. Walker

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

Overview of the internship site: My lab focuses on understanding tissue pathology and therapeutic repair in nervous system diseases and injuries. My lab focuses on understanding tissue pathology and therapeutic repair in nervous system diseases and injuries. Our primary research areas include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease) and peripheral nerve injury, with an emphasis on developing and applying strategies to promote neuron survival, neural regeneration, and improved functional outcomes. Currently, we utilize rodent (mouse and rat) models of these disorders, as well as cell culture models. We are also interested in investigating links between nervous system injury and the development of neurodegenerative disease.

Website for more information: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chandler-Walker

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Tissue labeling for cell and protein identification and localization, as well as microscopic imaging and image analysis, are key techniques used in our research. Some animal handling and behavioral assessment of rats and mice may be necessary for this position. Motivation to learn and work as a team on different components of larger projects, as well as a serious interest in developing and applying keen observation and critical thinking skills are essential. Opportunities to learn cell culture and animal surgical approaches are possible, and laboratory techniques including Western blot and DNA/RNA analysis are also utilized and can be learned and applied during the internship.

Work Environment and Dress Code: The work is performed primarily in a lab setting; with dress code Long pants, closed-toed shoes, lab coat, safety glasses/goggles, gloves

Hours per week: flexible based on student needs (10 maximum), scheduling is flexible within regular work hours

Project-specific qualifications: Experience in introductory basic laboratory techniques (e.g., lab notebook record-keeping, pipetting) would be helpful, but not required. Prior experience with advanced lab techniques, animal research, and basic neuroscience would be extremely helpful, but not a prerequisite.

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 IUI 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.