INTERN RESEARCH - Ken Lab
About The Position
We are looking for a highly motivated undergraduate intern to help curate a database of RNA-ligand structures from the Protein Data Bank, perform molecular docking using multiple different programs, and perform a comparative analysis of the results. Prior experience with docking or other computational drug discovery techniques and some familiarity with Python coding are preferred. Candidates must be able to work on campus at The Scripps Research Institute and devote roughly 12hrs per week to this project. Priority will be given to candidates who can start during this current academic quarter. Transition to a full or part-time summer internship after the academic year ends is a possibility but not guaranteed. Project Title: Evaluating the performance of docking programs for RNA-ligand interactions Molecular docking is a widely used computational technique in drug discovery. It enables the virtual screening of drug libraries by identifying binders for a given target protein or RNA of interest. There exist several docking programs, both open source and commercial, each with its own search algorithm and scoring function. Most of these have been developed for protein-ligand complexes. Recently, there has been growing interest in developing drugs that target RNAs. The goal of this project is to evaluate the performance of various docking programs for RNA-ligand docking and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Dive into the world of scientific research with our exciting internship in the Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology. Gain hands-on experience, closely supervised training, and develop essential skills in our dynamic laboratory setting. Responsibilities: Assist with basic laboratory maintenance, including glassware washing, autoclaving, and preparing media and solutions. Support experimental procedures assigned by our experienced staff and contribute to ongoing research projects. Why Apply: Immerse yourself in practical learning, receive personalized mentorship, and contribute to groundbreaking research. Ideal for students passionate about research, seeking to enhance their skills, and explore career opportunities in the field.
Requirements
- Must be currently enrolled in high school, an associate’s program, a bachelors program or masters program.
Nice To Haves
- Prior experience with docking or other computational drug discovery techniques and some familiarity with Python coding are preferred.
Responsibilities
- Learn to use various molecular docking programs.
- Visually inspect RNA-ligand PBD structures for issues.
- Analyze predicted ligand poses using RMSD and other metrics.
- Assist with basic laboratory maintenance, including glassware washing, autoclaving, and preparing media and solutions.
- Support experimental procedures assigned by our experienced staff and contribute to ongoing research projects.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
High school or GED
