Career Center

Overview of Department & Mentor
Cedars-Sinai is an academic medical center with a world-renowned faculty and extensive, highly competitive training programs. It also ranks among the nation’s top non-university hospitals for competitive research funding from NIH with several funded research projects. The goal of research includes a large spectrum of disease-related investigation ranging from molecular genetics, biochemical analysis, and comparative animal research to clinical investigation, therapeutic trials and patient care outcomes research. 

The mentor, Dr. Maria Lauda Tomasi, is interested in the molecular mechanism responsible of alcoholic liver disease (ALD), particularly how the post-translational modification known as sumoylation occurs to the proteins responsible of ALD development and its modulatory role. Her research is focused on finding good therapeutic targets of sumoylated protein to prevent HCC.

Role Summary & Objectives
The goal of the internship project will be to identify some of key sumoylated proteins responsible of the alcoholic liver disease development and progression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Under supervision, the intern will learn to culture human and murine cell lines, cells transfection to overexpress proteins, silence target gene, confirm transfection efficiency by RT-PCR and/or Western Blotting, co-immunoprecipitation proteins complex, analyze and identify potential sumoylated proteins from ethanol feeding mice liver by mass spectrometry and determine whether protein sumoylation status could be a requirement for its own function and/or stability. The research intern will be exposed to the existing lab research protocols to achieve the goal of this project, possibly resulting in a peer publication and/or national abstract meeting as AASLD, DDW and ASIP.                                                                                                                                                               

At the beginning of the program the intern will meet with Dr. Tomasi to conduct a formal orientation to the lab and to establish a mentoring plan, set goals and timeline. Dr. Tomasi will continue to meet in person daily with the intern to review progress and assist with project question. Dr. Tomasi’s team attends a weekly group liver center meeting, thus the intern is expected to participate to capture the topic elements of these discussions. The intern is expected to spend at least 3-4 hours each day in the laboratory (15-20 hours/week) with an option to increase the number of hours depending on the progress of the project.

Objectives: 
1.    Understand basic molecular biology techniques commonly used in research laboratories.
2.    Understand the basic concepts and elements of designing a research project. 
3.    Obtain confidence with the research process and learn how to keep detailed records.
4.    Learn biomolecular background and techniques in cell culture, western blotting, RNA and protein quantification, cDNA synthesis and data analysis. 
5.    Understand the basic elements of data analysis and statistics to determine the design of the study.
6.    Perform literature searches and review articles to understand the area of research, study background to address the scope of the proposed research study.
7.    Participate in lab meetings and discussion.

Role Activities & Timeline
1.    Orientation to lab and Overview of area: Weeks 1-2 
2.    Introduction to lab safety, complete required training: Weeks 1-2
3.    Review project protocols with supervisor: Weeks 3-6
4.    Introduction to literature: Weeks 3-6
5.    Learn basic research lab techniques and how to record and take notes: Weeks 3-6
6.    Introduction to lab equipment, review equipment operation protocols, review and use of data analysis: Weeks: 3-8
7.    Learn cell culture core techniques, Prepare media stock, protein extraction, western blotting, RNA isolation, qPCR, Mouse genotyping: Weeks 5-12
8.    Compose data for analysis, discussion, and presentation: Weeks 11 onwards

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 appointment.
* INTERNS: Those participating for academic credit must receive academic credit for the duration of the internship.

Preferred Education & Experience
* Undergraduate student majoring in any areas of Biology/Biomedical Science or Pre-Med.
* Prefer candidate who can commit 1-2 years of continual participation to this internship, subject to approved renewals on quarterly basis.