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Research Intern (Academic Credit)
Description
The Merchant Lab at Cedars-Sinai is an NIH-funded translational cancer research laboratory focused on biomarker discovery and development to improve outcomes for patients with cancer. This internship provides a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in clinical and translational research while working alongside a multidisciplinary team of physicians, scientists, and research staff.
The intern will support research efforts involving the collection, processing, and analysis of patient tissue and blood specimens for biomarker studies and will assist in correlating biomarker findings with treatment response. Through this experience, the intern will learn best practices for conducting human subjects research, handling and processing biospecimens, maintaining research data integrity, and adhering to laboratory safety and regulatory requirements.
In addition to laboratory activities, the intern will participate in weekly laboratory meetings, journal club discussions, and research presentations. The intern will receive ongoing mentorship through weekly one-on-one meetings with Dr. Merchant to review progress, discuss scientific concepts, and support professional development. The role also provides exposure to patient-facing clinical research activities and opportunities to observe the integration of research into patient care.
Weeks 1–2: Onboarding and Research Training
- Complete required training and certifications, including CITI and HealthStream modules.
- Learn institutional policies related to human subjects research, patient confidentiality, biospecimen handling, and laboratory safety.
- Receive orientation to laboratory procedures, workflows, and ongoing research projects.
Weeks 3–9: Research Participation and Professional Development
- Assist with organizing, sorting, labeling, and cataloging histological slides and research specimens.
- Support the collection, processing, and management of patient biospecimens used in biomarker research studies.
- Observe and interact with patients participating in approved clinical research protocols, as appropriate.
- Participate in weekly laboratory meetings and journal club discussions.
- Meet weekly with Dr. Merchant for mentorship, progress reviews, and guidance on research activities.
- Develop scientific communication skills through formal presentations and discussion of research findings.
Midpoint Milestone
- Deliver a formal presentation to the laboratory team summarizing learning experiences, research contributions, and key scientific concepts related to the project.
End of Internship
- Present a summary of completed work, lessons learned, and future areas of interest in translational cancer research.
Qualifications
Required Education & Experience
- 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.).
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Diversity and Inclusion at Cedars-Sinai
We are caretakers and innovators committed to the pursuit of equitable healthcare. But health equity is not possible without representation. Our commitment to diversity goes beyond demographics or checking boxes. Our people must reflect the diverse identities, experiences and geographies of the communities and patients we serve – because that’s what our patients, colleagues and communities deserve Quality Care and Research—For All, By All.
Our compensation philosophy
We offer a competitive compensation package for our employees. The base pay range shown generally applies to the greater Los Angeles area and may vary based on work location. Our range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including knowledge/skills: relevant experience and training, education/certifications/licensure; and other business and organizational factors. The base pay range does not include any incentive payments that may be applicable to a role. Pay Transparency Non-Discrimination Provision (PDF) .
Cedars-Sinai is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.
Cedars-Sinai does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of the race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, physical or mental disability, legally protected medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics or any genetic information), marital status, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, age (40 or older), military and/or veteran status or any other basis protected by federal or state law. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at Applicant_Accommodation@cshs.org and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.
Cedars-Sinai will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories, in accordance with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.
At Cedars-Sinai, we are dedicated to the safety, health and wellbeing of our patients and employees. This includes protecting our patients from communicable diseases, such as influenza (flu). For this reason, we require that all new employees receive a flu vaccine based on the seasonal availability of flu vaccine (typically during September through April each year) as a condition of employment, and annually thereafter as a condition of continued employment, subject to medical exemption or religious accommodation. For the same reason, you may also be required to receive other vaccines as a condition of employment. Cedars-Sinai reserves the right to make modifications to its required list of vaccines as required by law and/or policy.
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