Madison Foster, a senior at Winnfield Senior High School, spent six weeks this summer conducting paid research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, as part of a selective internship program.

Foster, the only Louisiana scholar chosen this year, worked under Dr. Peck and the Peck Lab to study the effects of psoriasis on the neurological and musculoskeletal systems of mice. She said her favorite experiences included dissection days, learning how to use lab instruments and exploring Nashville.

The internship, now in its 16th year, has selected only two Louisiana students since its creation. At the conclusion of the program, participants presented their findings through poster and oral presentations before faculty members, peers and families.

Foster has been invited to return to Vanderbilt next summer to continue her research. In the meantime, she is bringing her experience home through her “Mad Lab” Afterschool Science Series, where she shares hands-on science lessons with local elementary students.

This school year, she will expand the program to reach three afterschool sites: the Winnfield Enrichment Tutoring Program, FUMC’s The Learning Tree and the K-3 Learning Center in Bossier City.