Volunteer Research Opportunities – Yoshihara Laboratory
Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA

The Yoshihara Laboratory is seeking highly motivated undergraduate volunteers to join our research team. Our lab specializes in developmental biology, physiology, and genomics, leveraging human pluripotent stem cells and genetic animal models.

A major focus of our work is the development of functional human pancreatic islet organoids, with the goal of advancing novel therapies for insulin-dependent diabetes and other metabolic diseases. Our recent publications highlight key advances in this area (Yoshihara et al., Cell Metabolism, 2016, Wei & Yoshihara et al., Cell, 2019; Yoshihara et al., Nature, 2020; Tacto et al, Nature Communications, 2025).

Research areas students may assist with include:
1. Optimization of human pluripotent stem cell models
2. Gene and protein expression analysis
3. High-throughput drug screening
4. Live cell imaging
5. Evaluation of small molecule therapies in cell and diabetic mouse models
6. Genomic library preparation (RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq)
7. Pre-processing biological imaging data for integration into AI-driven bioinformatics workflows

Primary responsibilities:
1. Mammalian cell culture
2. RNA isolation and cDNA synthesis
3. Gene and protein expression assays
4. Preparation of laboratory reagents and buffers
5. .Mouse genotyping and physiological assessments
6. Data analysis and interpretation
7. Contribution to abstracts and manuscript preparation
8. Active participation in weekly lab journal club discussions, presenting and critically evaluating recent scientific literature.

This is an excellent opportunity for students interested in biomedical research, stem cell biology, or translational approaches to metabolic disease. For more information, please visit: https://eijiyoshiharalab.com

Qualifications:

This opportunity is open to undergraduate students at all levels—including freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and those planning a gap year. A cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher is preferred. Interested applicants should submit a CV to eiji.yoshihara@lundquist.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and accepted until all positions are filled. Applicants selected for further consideration will be invited to a final Zoom interview.

Desired Start Date: 8/15 ~ 9/20/2025

Time Commitment: 12 hours per week, ~6 month duration

Preapproved for: SRP-99 credit

Location: Off-campus – Lundquist Institute at Harbor – UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA

Documents to submit: Resume – send as PDF

Send materials to: eiji.yoshihara@lundquist.org

Relevant website: https://eijiyoshiharalab.com/