Anna Eisenstein of Auburn, a student at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, is participating in a paid summer research internship at the Maine Medical Center Research Institute. The MMCRI Summer Student Research Program is for bright, motivated college and pre-college students who are interested in biomedical research as a career. Each student is mentored by an established scientist at MMCRI, and conducts an independent research project during the ten-week program. Students receive a stipend, and also have the opportunity to participate in lecture series, seminars, and data review sessions at the Institute.

This summer, 12 students are taking part in the program, engaging in both laboratory and clinical research.

Eisenstein is working with Volkhard Lindner, MD, PhD, who is investigating the biology of specialized protein complexes and novel genes in blood vessel walls.

The MMCRI Summer Student Research Program is intended to help Maine students pursue careers in biomedical research, and it is hoped that some of those students will return to Maine for further education or to pursue their careers. One former summer student is already back at MMCRI as a PhD candidate.