Sanford Burnham Prebys is a preeminent, independent biomedical research institute dedicated to understanding human biology and disease, and advancing scientific discoveries to profoundly impact human health.

Internships at Sanford Burnham Prebys are unpaid opportunities that have great benefits for students interested in a career related to life science. Our internships are designed to provide hands-on experiential learning outside the classroom that connects theories and concepts learned in academic coursework. Here you will find closely-supervised training and opportunities to develop your professional skills along with research experience.  You will also get to learn about the uniqueness of an academic research institute. We identify a clear training plan at the beginning to ensure that learning objectives are met.

ABOUT THE LAB: Our labs are primarily focused on understanding progenitor and stem cell biology during organogenesis of the heart, and vasculatures. Using the fly, zebrafish, and human iPSC model systems, we are currently researching how transcription and signaling factors regulate progenitors during organogenesis, homeostasis, regeneration, and in disease states (such as Congenital Heart Diseases).

TRAINING PLAN HIGHLIGHTS: Our goal is to introduce undergrad students to perform basic science and get exposed to a laboratory environment. The labs focuses scientific research on leveraging the fly (invertebrate) and zebrafish (vertebrate) as in vivo model systems to study human genetic diseases.

The internship will provide students an opportunity to learn how to prepare a research plan, master array of technical methods, and interpret scientific data. Additionally, the internship participants will have an opportunity to learn how to conduct research presentations (both verbal and written), develop leadership skills, and interact with others in an academic research environment.

Specifically, the internship participants will be trained to analyze various mutant alleles established in the lab. They will use PCR to genotype homozygous, heterozygous, and wild-type animals, and further characterized cardiovascular defects in these genetic backgrounds. They will also receive full training on basic laboratory maintenance protocols that include preparing buffers and other solutions, maintaining supplies, and clean labware items. Moreover, they will gain experience operating with microscopes – such as dissecting fly and zebrafish embryonic tissues and using fluorescent microscopy to analyze immunofluorescence staining.

Required Skills Required Experience

• Must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program pursuing scientific course of study. Minimum 3.2 GPA
• Applicants should already have received approval to earn school credit through their university
• Must be able to participate a minimum of 12 hours per week for up to 9 months

Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities

• Be self-directed and work well in a team environment
• Be responsible and have strong time management skills
• Possess strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Demonstrate professional communication and interpersonal skills
• Embody the Institute’s core values of Commitment, Collaboration, Communication, Community and Compassion