GSU Student Completes Prestigious Summer Research Program

By Heather Fields

ATLANTA — Presidential Scholar and neuroscience major Trenton Buckner spent his summer at Harvard Medical School. As a Harvard/MIT Equitable Access to Research Training (HEART) M.D.-Ph.D. Summer Program participant, Buckner conducted intensive lab research, networked with the Harvard community and gained experience that reinforced his passion for becoming a physician-scientist.

Founded in 2022, the HEART program allows undergraduate students pursuing medicine to gain clinical experience and conduct research under the guidance of a Harvard faculty member. As one of only nine students across the nation selected for the HEART program, Buckner spent over six months preparing his application.

The Research

Undergraduate researchers were assigned to work on a project with a graduate student mentor. Buckner explored the developmental condition of Polymicrogyria, which is a brain malformation of the cortex that occurs in-utero.

“Polymicrogyria can lead to epilepsy, speech disorders, intellectual disabilities and paralysis, depending on the severity of it,” Buckner said.

Buckner is no stranger to neurological research. For the past two years, he has been working as an undergraduate researcher studying Alzheimer’s disease in Dr. Marise Parent’s lab in GSU’s Petit Science Center.

Buckner's experience in Harvard’s research labs allowed him to explore new directions of medical research and experimentation.

“At one point, I grew neurons, accidentally!” he said.

Buckner's research culminated with a poster presentation at The Leadership Alliance National Symposium and an oral presentation at the Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program Annual Symposium.

Buckner with the co-founders of HEART and his cohort on the steps of Gordon Hall at Harvard Medical School.

The Community

Participants in the summer program receive housing in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, reimbursement for travel to the city and a stipend for personal expenses. Buckner enjoyed the history, accessibility and food of Boston during his stay.

“They were so intentional about locating us directly in the heart of the Harvard Medical School campus and community,” he said.

With the program, Buckner gained new experiences outside of the medical world. His cohort enjoyed social activities outside of the Harvard grounds, such as canoeing down the Charles River.

One of the most impactful elements of Buckner's experience was the sense of shared community and connection he found with his cohort members.

“It was so crazy to think that you don’t know any of these people, but because of the shared moment and the rigor of the program, you build this beautiful community of passionate, like-minded individuals,” he said.

Looking Forward

The HEART program reaffirmed Buckner's personal desire to “paint a better picture of how lived experience shapes disease to better understand minority health.”

“I’m interested in how adversity shapes biological factors in others to help create a more intersectional and deeper understanding of health and disease,” he said.

Buckner is enrolled in the dual degree program at GSU, allowing him to earn a bachelor’s and master’s in neuroscience before leaving. His future goals include working in a collaborative environment as a physician-scientist, conducting translational research while treating patients in an urban setting.

“I see myself doing a lot of things. I can see myself doing advocacy work in health and wellness, or even going into policy,” he said.

Buckner described his experience in the HEART program as “transformative.”

“I think representation is important, and I want students who look like me to take advantage of these opportunities and know they can achieve great things,” he said.

If you are interested in learning more about this program and similar opportunities, visit GSU’s Center for the Advancement of Students and Alumni.