Research Intern (Academic Credit)
About The Position
A systems neuroscience research laboratory within the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Neural Science and Medicine is seeking an unpaid Research Intern for academic credit. This internship provides a structured, hands-on educational experience in systems neuroscience, computational neurophysiology, and neural data analysis. The role is designed to build proficiency in core analytical workflows used in the laboratory while fostering collaborative research and developing strong technical skills in both electrophysiology and EEG-based approaches. The intern will support ongoing work in spike sorting of extracellular neurophysiology recordings and analysis of single-unit activity in rodent models of stroke recovery and sleep. The role will also contribute to characterization of neural modulation across the time course of motor recovery following stroke and development of proficiency in seizure detection through visual inspection of continuously recorded EEG data from ARX mutant animal subjects.
Requirements
- Academic credit for internship
- Proficiency in core analytical workflows
- Strong technical skills in electrophysiology
- Strong technical skills in EEG-based approaches
- Experience with Python
- Experience with Kilosort/Phy
- Experience with custom EEG review tools
- Understanding of rodent models of stroke recovery and sleep
- Understanding of ARX mutant animal subjects used in EEG seizure studies
- Knowledge of principles of extracellular neurophysiology recording
- Knowledge of theoretical basis of spike detection and clustering
- Ability to perform supervised spike sorting on existing recording datasets using automated pipeline tools
- Ability to participate in mentored manual curation using Phy
- Ability to apply quality control metrics, including isolation distance, L-ratio, and ISI violations, to evaluate and document single-unit yield across sessions
- Ability to assist with analysis of sorted single units to characterize firing rate modulation and neural dynamics across post-stroke motor recovery
- Ability to extend spike sorting and unit analysis to sleep session recordings to examine neural activity patterns during sleep and motor memory consolidation
- Ability to begin training in visual inspection of continuously recorded EEG data from ARX mutant animal subjects for seizure detection
- Ability to identify ictal and interictal events in support of ongoing epilepsy research
- Ability to conduct independent analysis activities with increasing autonomy under laboratory mentorship
- Ability to support ongoing experimental studies through computational and data analysis contributions
- Ability to summarize findings and participate in research discussions related to ongoing laboratory projects
Nice To Haves
- Experience with Microsoft Suite
- Experience with HealthStream
- Experience with CITI
- Experience with IACUC/BAR training and compliance systems
Responsibilities
- Complete all required institutional trainings, including HealthStream, CITI, IACUC/BAR requirements, and laboratory safety orientation
- Introduction to laboratory data infrastructure, including extracellular recording file formats, EEG data organization, and analysis software
- Exposure to Python, Kilosort/Phy, and custom EEG review tools
- Overview of rodent models of stroke recovery and sleep used in the laboratory
- Introduction to ARX mutant animal subjects used in EEG seizure studies
- Learn principles of extracellular neurophysiology recording and theoretical basis of spike detection and clustering
- Perform supervised spike sorting on existing recording datasets using automated pipeline tools
- Participate in mentored manual curation using Phy
- Apply quality control metrics, including isolation distance, L-ratio, and ISI violations, to evaluate and document single-unit yield across sessions
- Assist with analysis of sorted single units to characterize firing rate modulation and neural dynamics across post-stroke motor recovery
- Extend spike sorting and unit analysis to sleep session recordings to examine neural activity patterns during sleep and motor memory consolidation
- Begin training in visual inspection of continuously recorded EEG data from ARX mutant animal subjects for seizure detection
- Learn to identify ictal and interictal events in support of ongoing epilepsy research
- Conduct independent analysis activities with increasing autonomy under laboratory mentorship
- Support ongoing experimental studies through computational and data analysis contributions
- Summarize findings and participate in research discussions related to ongoing laboratory projects
Benefits
- Academic credit
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What This Job Offers
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
No Education Listed
