Summer Scholars Retrospective

In 2000, LSU Vet Med received its first Merck-Merial Animal Health Grant to fund summer research conducted by DVM students. In 2004, the National Institutes of Health provided LSU Vet Med with an additional grant for this program. In 2004, only eight of 28 veterinary schools in the U.S. that received funding from both Merck-Merial and the NIH. Over the years, funding has come from additional sources such as the Morris Animal Foundation. Since 2000, more than 460 veterinary students have participated in the Summer Scholars Program.

The purpose of the program is to further students’ learning and experiences in research beyond the required classroom and clinical training and encourage innovative studies in human and animal diseases to lend further understanding to veterinary careers in biomedical research. This competitive program requires students to apply and, if selected, work with a faculty mentor throughout the summer.

Students are paid a stipend, and the program culminates in a symposium, where students present their research. LSU Vet Med Summer Scholars students also present their research at our annual Phi Zeta Research Emphasis Day. LSU Vet Med hosted the annual symposium in 2006.

In 2000, the grant amount from Merck-Merial was $30,000 to cover seven projects. In 2026, each student received a $6,500 stipend, and there 17 participants. Students do not have to be enrolled at LSU Vet Med, and over the years, we have hosted student scholars from a variety of universities, including Tuskegee University, Iowa State University, and the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vetagro-Sup Lyon in France.

Past Summer Scholars include:

Ashley Stokes: College Dean

Ashley M.S. Holm (now Ashley Stokes), participated in a project in 2000 entitled "Characterization fo the Role of Endothelin-1 and Nitric Oxide in Platelet Neutrophil Aggregation and Its Association with Acute Laminitis in Horse. Dr. Stokes received her DVM from LSU Vet Med in 2001 and her Ph.D. in 2003; she was our first dual DVM-Ph.D. graduate. Dr. Stokes is currently the dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis. 

Veterinary Matters Blog Post about Dr. Ashley Stokes

Mark Bates: Director and Attending Veterinarian

Mark Bates was a Summer Scholar in 2005, and his project was entiteld "Comparison of methods use for restraint in juvenile chimpanzees, Pan trogylodytes, and their effects on behavioral and physiologic indicators of sedation." His faculty mentor was David Baker, DVM, Ph.D., DACLAM, former professor and director of the Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine. Dr. Bates also pursued a career in lab animal medicine and is currently director of the Division of Animal Resources and attending veterinarian at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Gretchen Delcambre: Assistant Dean

Gretchen Henry (now Delcambre) participated in 2006 with a project entitled "Rickettsia felis in cat fleas, ctenocephalides felis." She received her DVM from LSU in 2009 and currently serves as the assistant dean of admissions for LSU Vet Med.

Aliya Magee: Veterinary Cardiologist

Alia "Yani" Magee was a Summer Scholar in 2007, and her project was entitled "Role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in angiotensin II induced hypertension

and end organ damage in rats." Her faculty mentor was Joseph Francis, Ph.D., then an associate professor in the Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences and now a full professor on the LSU Vet Med faculty. Dr. Magee received her DVM in 2009 from LSU Vet Med and currently serves as an assistant profess of veterinary cardiology.

Lauren Stump: Deputy Under Secretary

Lauren Stump participated in 2012 with a project entitled "Host genetics and immunological response to mycobacterium leprae promoting the use of monozygotic twins in research." Dr. Stump received her DVM in 2015 and is now deputy under secretary for the USDA's Research, Education, and Economics mission area, which encompasses the Agricultural Research Service, Economic Research Service, National Agricultural Statistics Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Office of the Chief Scientist. These agencies serve a critical role at USDA to advance U.S. agriculture research, extension, and education. 

Jonuel Cruz Sanabria: Equine Surgeon

Jonuel Cruz Sanabria was a Summer Scholar in 2013 with a project entitled "Validation of a colic prediction model." Dr. Cruz received his DVM in 2015 from LSU Vet Med, where he also completed his equine surgery residency. He is currently an assistant professor of equine surgery at LSU Vet Med.

Taylor Francis: Veterinary Communications Manager

Taylor Francis participated in 2013 with a project entitled "Correlation of hyperechoic pancreas and disease in dogs" and again in 2024 with a project entitled "Development of a BHV-1 gE cytoplasmic tail based serological marker test." Dr. Francis received his DVM from LSU Vet Med in 2015 and is currently a veterinary communications manager at Nestlé Purina North America.

Karla Fraga: Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian

Karla Fraga was a Summer Scholar in 2017 with a project entitled "Radiographic Sizing for Meniscal Transplantation in Dogs." Dr. Fraga received her DVM from LSU Vet Med in 2019 and is now an assistant professor of emergency and critical care at LSU Vet Med.

Samantha Clark: DVM/Ph.D. Student

Samantha Clark participated in 2021 with a project entitled "Evaluating the oncolytic potential of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 mutant (VC2) using murine breast cancer model." Dr. Clark received her DVM from LSU Vet Med in 2024 and is expected to receive her Ph.D. in December 2026.

Learn about the 2026 Summer Scholars and their Projects