Summer Research Program inaugural lab experience for future neuroscientist

Indiana University sophomore Maya Simpson has her work cut out for her. She is focused on her future as a physician and neuroscientist and credits the IU Simon Cancer Center’s Summer Research Program with launching her in the direction of her dreams.

“When I participated in the Summer Research Program, I was able to conduct a real-world research project,” she said with awe in her voice.

Maya participated in the Summer Research Program in 2016 and 2017 and was able to work both summers in the lab of Millie Georgiadis, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and of chemistry and a member of the cancer center's Experimental and Developmental Therapeutics research program.

At the end of the eight weeks, Summer Research Program participants wind up their experiences with oral and scientific poster presentations. Maya received the award for the best research project oral presentation for her work in 2017, which she calls “an amazing honor.” The title of her presentation was “Functional Studies of Kinase GCN2,” which she studied as a potential target for cancer therapy.

“I still keep in touch with my mentor, Dr. Georgiadis, and keep her up to date on what I am doing,” the 19-year-old North Central High School graduate said.

At IU, Maya is majoring in neuroscience with a Spanish minor. That keeps her busy, yet she manages to be involved in leadership activities. Her freshman year she was the vice president of student advocacy in Read Hall, where she worked with students and the college administration to improve living experiences. As a sophomore, Maya is a resident assistant at Foster Hall.

In the fall of 2018, Maya took an introductory neuroscience course and fell in love. She received the highest grade in the class. “It literally just came naturally. It was an epiphany – this is what I want to do,” she said. That prompted her to apply for a position in the research lab of Andrea Hohmann, Ph.D., professor of psychological and brain sciences and chair of the Jack and Linda Gill Center. She is beyond excited about the opportunity and is looking forward to researching the endocannabinoid’s relationship with the central nervous system and how it impacts pain.

This summer, Maya, who was raised in Carmel, also plans to work as a chemistry intern at Eli Lilly and Co.

All of this, she says, started with the Summer Research Program, which introduced her to the joy of lab research and opened doors for her future.

“The Summer Research Program was the most impactful experience,” she says. “Without doing cancer research, I’d probably still be trying to decide what I want to do with my life. It gave me an advantage for intern research positions, lab exposure and taught me how to develop a science project.”