Life-Health Sciences Internship Program
The LHSI is a program at Indiana University, Indianapolis that matches qualified students to year long internship sites to help them learn, work, and gain experiences related to their major and career aspirations.
Below is a documentation of my 2024-2025 internship and research showcase with Dr. Schlecht and lists all my progress and learning experiences as part of this program.
About My Internship Site
I received the opportunity to work with Dr. Stephen Schlecht in the Orthopedic Surgery Department at IU Indianapolis. My internship site researches sex differences specifically females’ susceptibility to ACL injuries compared to males using in vivo mice models. We use mice in our research to look at the responses to loading and injury on the ACL in terms of submaximal loading on the ligament.
We compare the results in the male and female mice and look at sex hormones, fibrotic responses, anabolic and catabolic responses, age differences and even osteoarthritis post ACL tear. Studies ranged from arthrofibrosis differences, role of gene expression, diet, synovial studies, cadaver studies, and more.
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We are also engaged in ongoing collaborations with Michigan State University, Penn State, and the University of Alabama. At Michigan State University, researchers focus on human cadaveric models to better understand ACL structure and injury mechanisms. Penn State conducts work similar to our lab, investigating sex-based differences in ACL injuries, but uses in vitro ACL cell cultures, while our lab conducts in vivo studies. Meanwhile, the University of Alabama examines ACL injuries from a chemical perspective, identifying the molecular processes involved.​
LHSI 2024-2025 Showcase
My Project & Abstract
Sex Differences in Fibrotic Responses Following ACL Injury in Mice
This pilot study investigated sex differences in post injury response that focuses on aggressive fibrotic responses in females following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. Using the C57BL/6J mouse strain, we examined 5 male and 5 female mice, aged 18 weeks, with ACL rupture on the right knee with the left knee serving as an internal control. 3 mice per sex were euthanized at 3 weeks post injury. The remaining 2 mice per sex were euthanized 6 weeks post injury. Our primary goal was to explore gene expression changes in response to the injury, with a particular emphasis on identifying key pathways that drive inflammation and fibrosis. Early findings from a previous study with young females indicated an aggressive fibrotic response, which limited range of motion and severely impacted recovery. Clinically, females are more prone to arthrofibrosis post ACL surgery than their male counterparts. Through this study, we sought to uncover underlying genetic and molecular factors that contributed to arthrofibrosis development and guide future treatments. This research was directly tied to a forthcoming clinical study in patients, providing insight into potential therapeutic targets for managing arthrofibrosis and improving post-injury recovery outcomes, particularly in females