Marian University undergraduate gains hands-on neuroscience research experience through nationally competitive summer program
Hanna Reuter ’26 spent her summer conducting advanced neuroscience research as a participant in the highly competitive Amgen Scholars Program at Johns Hopkins University, one of the nation’s leading research institutions.
Funded by the biotechnology company Amgen, the Amgen Scholars Program provides select undergraduate students with the opportunity to engage in hands-on research at top universities worldwide. Reuter was chosen to participate in the program at the Lieber Institute for Brain Development, where she worked under the mentorship of Dr. Kristen Maynard and neuroscience doctoral candidate Beau Oster.
During the summer, Reuter contributed research examining neuronal distributions in the ventral tegmental area, a brain region associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, including addiction, an area closely aligned with her personal research interests.
“This experience strengthened my research skills and confirmed my passion for neuroscience,” Reuter said.
Reuter worked directly with postmortem human brain tissue, observed whole-brain dissections, and gained hands-on experience with advanced molecular laboratory techniques. The immersive research environment allowed her to further develop both her technical expertise and her understanding of complex neurological systems.
In addition to her laboratory work, Reuter attended the Amgen Scholars Symposium at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she connected with fellow scholars from across North America, heard from leading researchers, and explored future academic and professional pathways in neuroscience.
The experience builds on Marian University’s commitment to providing students with high-impact research opportunities that prepare them for advanced study and careers in the sciences