Archive for category: Open Research Positions

Division/Department Overview:

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (DPLM) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (CSMC) is one of the nation’s premier academic pathology departments.  The DPLM provides exceptional diagnostic support to help physicians guide patient therapy at CSMC and its affiliated hospitals.  CSMC is ranked by US News and World Reports as one of the top-10 hospitals in the nation.

In addition to world-class patient care services, the DPLM has 10 basic and translational research laboratories which study a wide range of biomedical topics including cancer biology, microbiology, renal disease and physiology, immune function, neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration.  Dr. Tourtellotte’s lab is funded by the NIH to study molecular mechanisms regulating neurodevelopment and peripheral and central neurogenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s disease.  He has mentored many PhD and MD/PhD students who have performed their dissertation research in his lab, and he is actively involved in mentoring undergraduate students, medical students and clinical residents and fellows.

Job Description:

The research intern will work closely under the supervision of senior scientists and the PI in the lab to learn molecular and biochemical techniques and participate in ongoing research projects.  A wide range of molecular, biochemical, morphological and tissue culture techniques are used in the lab to elucidate basic mechanisms of development and neurogenerative diseases.  In addition, the lab generates transgenic and gene targeted mice to model disease mechanisms that require behavioral, microsurgical, histological and physiologic techniques to analyze disease-related phenotypes and mechanisms.

Role Activities & Timeline:

Provide a detailed description of the activities that will be completed during this appointment. For interns, this should include specific information regarding mentorship and curriculum, including an intended timeline for the activities.
By the end of each quarter (3 months)
•    The intern will broaden their research skills through training under the mentorship and supervision of the lab’s faculty mentor.
•    The intern will learn how to perform molecular cloning using RT-PCR, PCR, restriction enzyme digestion, ligation, and cell transformation.
•    The intern will learn proper recordkeeping by documenting data in lab notebooks and presenting findings to the mentor and in departmental presentations.
•    The intern will learn how to conduct a literature review related to the project they are training on.
•    The intern will learn how to design experiments based on specific research questions.
•    The intern will practice implementing experimental designs and troubleshooting issues that may arise.

Requirements:
•    Must be 18 years of age or older.
•    Must have a HS Diploma or GED.
•    Must reside in the greater Los Angeles area or surrounding cities while conducting all activities related to the intern or visitor appointment.
•    INTERNS: Those participating for academic credit must receive academic credit for the duration of the internship.
•    VISITORS: Must be receiving funding from an eligible sponsoring institution (employer, educator, funder, etc.).

Preferred Education & Experience:
Undergraduates enrolled in a life sciences degree program with strong interest in biomedical research.  Interest in pursuing advanced graduate medical (MD), life science graduate (PhD) or physician-scientist (MD/PhD) is the typical aspiration of students who are particularly successful in this internship program.  A passion for advancing scientific discovery and medial knowledge is highly desirable.

Application Instructions:

Apply using the following link: https://careers.cshs.org/job/los-angeles/research-intern/252/91186630416

UCLA PI Name: Louis Bouchard
Division/Department: Chemistry and Biochemistry
Lab website: https://sites.google.com/view/bouchardlabucla/
Expected Weekly Time Commitment: 10 hours per week

Job Description:

Our lab, led by Professor Louis Bouchard, focuses on developing computational methods at the intersection of chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and data science. We are looking to onboard students to join the dry lab side of our project.

The dry-lab position is centered on numerical modeling, data analysis, and algorithm development. One of our current projects investigates signal denoising, the process of recovering clean signals from noisy measurements, which is a major topic in spectroscopy, medical imaging, and other data-intensive experimental sciences. The project explores a generalized denoising framework based on stochastic differential equations (SDEs), drawing inspiration from modern diffusion models and score-based generative modeling.

As a research assistant, you will work with modern Python-based tools for signal processing and machine learning, benchmark SDE-based denoising methods against established baselines, and contribute to the theoretical and computational validation of a framework with potential applications across multiple scientific domains. This position is particularly well-suited for students interested in applied mathematics, machine learning, computational chemistry or physics, and data-driven modeling. Prior experience with Python programming is required, and familiarity with scientific computing or statistics is a plus.

Application Instructions:
Please fill out the following Google form, and attach your resume/CV. For inquiries, email jonathankim1626@ucla.edu.

Recruitment Form:
https://forms.gle/8PiVqzdeLLoYqJic7

UCLA PI Name: Keriann Backus
E-Mail: kbackus@mednet.ucla.edu
Division/Department: Biological Chemistry
Lab website (if applicable): backuslab.com
Expected Weekly Time Commitment: 15h/week

Job Description: Looking for an undergraduate researcher with a strong desire to work at the interface of chemistry and biology who is interested in using organic chemistry to develop chemical tools to probe fundamental biology. This position is a unique opportunity for an undergraduate student interested in contributing to research at the interface of technology for drug development.

Desired Majors
• Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Required Qualifications
• Completed general chemistry coursework (20A/B/L/30AL)
• Background or interest in chemical synthesis and chemical biology

Preferred Qualifications
• Experience with organic chemistry
• Completed or currently enrolled in organic chemistry coursework (30 A/B/C/BL/CL), prior research experience in chemistry
• First- or second-year UCLA undergraduate students are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Expected commitment: part-time during the academic year with potential for expanded summer research. MUST have at least 2-3 blocks of 5 hour time in schedule to devote to research

Application Instructions: Interested students should send:
• A short statement of interest (max 1 page) describing relevant coursework, programming experience, and research interests
• A resume/CV (including GPA and coursework)
• Optional Supplemental Materials (Course presentations or Slide Deck Explaining Previous Experience)

**THIS POSITION IS NOW CLOSED FOR APPLICATIONS AND WILL REOPEN IN SPRING 2026**

UCLA PI Name: Jerzy Kupiec-Weglinski
Division/Department: Liver and Pancreas Transplantation/Department of Surgery
Expected Weekly Time Commitment: 8-10 h

Our lab focuses on molecular approaches to study the immunology of liver graft rejection, with a particular emphasis on ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). We study how immune responses, gene regulation, and cellular interactions contribute to liver damage and explore novel therapeutic strategies to prevent graft rejection. We seek motivated individuals eager to learn cutting-edge techniques, contribute to our collaborative efforts, and gain valuable experience in this innovative field. We are specifically interested in understanding how the interface of the hepatocytes interact with infiltrating immune cells during sterile inflammation. We are developing small molecules to modulate the antigen expression of certain surface receptors to negatively regulate the immune response. The methodologies we use involve mouse animal models, molecular and cellular based assays, and flow cytometry. The student should be available for at least 8-10 h per week. The research opportunity may be used in conjunction with independent research study or appropriate class for a class grade.

Please register at this site: https://forms.gle/TUH1w29Zetvf5yRj6

Dr. Bruno Peault is looking for an undergraduate student to join their research team.

UCLA PI Name: Bruno Peault, PhD

Our laboratory has identified organ resident mesenchymal stem cells, which can differentiate into bone, cartilage, adipose tissue, smooth and skeletal muscle, and developed several projects to uncover the role of those stem cells in 1- tissue turnover and regeneration, and 2- pathologic development: fibrosis (joint, kidney, skeletal muscle) and atherogenesis (atheroma plaque formation in blood vessels).

We are now recruiting undergraduate students to work on the following themes:

– Gene therapy of OA (osteo-arthritis). In OA, irreversible degradation of joint cartilage is accompanied by inflammation and fibrosis, causing pain and severely affecting motion. The project aims to control joint pain, inflammation, and fibrosis by transducing siRNAs (small interfering RNAs) into relevant affected cell types.

– Stem cell dysfunction in lipedema. Lipedema is the dramatic and uncontrolled accumulation, in affected females (around 1/10), of subcutaneous abnormal adipose tissue in lower limbs, and eventually in the upper part of the body (arms, belly). Long misdiagnosed as obesity, lipedema has specific features: pain, fibrosis. The etiology of lipedema is unknown and we have hypothesized that qualitative and/or quantitative defects in mesenchymal stem cells are causing this severe, invalidating disease. The projects consists in the localization and quantification of mesenchymal stem cells in lipedema tissues, followed by their purification, culture, and functional assessment.

Candidates should commit to work at least 20 hours/week at the Orthopaedic Hospital Research Center, UCLA.

Please send resume and cover letter to Bruno Peault at bpeault@mednet.ucla.edu.