LHSI Intern: wet lab research assistant to study Parkinson's disease

Program Summary:    

This internship is offered as a part of the Life-Health Sciences Internship Program (LHSI). This program connects 125 IU Indianapolis 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. Andrea Merchak 

Department/Office: Medicine; Neurology 

Overview of the internship site: Help us understand the relationship between bowel inflammation and age related neurodegeneration. We are interested in how inflammation in the periphery impacts neuronal health as we age.  We conduct research to understand how a mutation that is common in patients with Parkinson's disease interacts with colitis.  We use mouse models to understand these relationships and conduct behavioral assays, imaging, and biochemistry to answer these biologic questions. We are also testing anti-inflammatory drugs to determine if they can help preserve neuronal health.  Overall, we are hoping to better understand and promote healthy aging. 

Website for more information:  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Duties will include general lab maintenance and upkeep.  Under supervision, you will be responsible for processing mouse brain tissue to be used for immunohistochemistry.  You will optimize assays, stain slides, image them on a microscope, conduct image analysis using FIJI, and process the data. You will use these data to answer questions about the effects of colitis on brain health. Depending on progress on the initial project, interns may learn other assays and contribute to other projects in the lab. 

Work Environment and Dress Code: The work is performed primarily in a lab setting with dress code: Long pants and close toed shoes.  No loose sleeves or loose long hair. 

Project-specific qualifications: Successful interns will be highly motivated, organized, pay close attention to detail, and be able to complete tasks using fine motor skills.  A background in biology is preferred, but all relevant scientific information will be taught on sight. 

Hours per week: 10; flexible within regular work hours 

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 IU Indianapolis undergraduate in 2025-26  

minimum overall GPA of 2.0   

All majors welcome 

To apply: 

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