Research Intern
About The Position
Toro Health Pathways (THP) is a postbaccalaureate internship program offered through a collaboration between the Cedars-Sinai Cancer Research Center for Health Equity and CSU Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). The program provides recent CSUDH graduates with an immersive, nine-month pre-graduate research experience in cancer and related health sciences. THP is designed to expand access to meaningful research experiences while giving fellows the opportunity to apply their academic preparation within an active biomedical research environment. The Cedars-Sinai Department of Medicine brings together researchers and physicians working across a broad range of medical disciplines. Through collaborative research and clinical innovation, teams work to advance scientific knowledge and develop new approaches to understanding and treating disease. This internship provides exposure to research focused on cellular senescence, including the biology of senescent cells, the development of senolytic and senotherapeutic strategies, and the role of senescence in cancer, metabolic disease, and aging. Research within the team examines how senescent cells within tumors may affect chemotherapy efficacy, tumor biology, and treatment response, as well as how targeting senescent cells may influence age-related metabolic and physical dysfunction.
Requirements
- Must be 18 years of age or older.
- Must have a High School 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.
Nice To Haves
- Recent CSUDH graduates with degrees in health-related disciplines.
- Individuals interested in cancer biology, cellular and molecular biology, aging, metabolic disease, translational science, or biomedical research.
- Eagerness to learn within a collaborative research environment.
Responsibilities
- Develop foundational knowledge of cellular senescence and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and their relevance to cancer, aging, and metabolic disease.
- Learn about senolytic drug development and emerging senotherapeutic strategies.
- Receive training in foundational cell and molecular biology techniques and responsible laboratory research practices.
- Gain exposure to in vivo research and animal handling.
- Participate in supervised laboratory research, including experimental observation, data collection, data interpretation, and literature synthesis.
- Explore approaches for identifying, characterizing, and targeting senescent cells.
- Examine how senescent cells may influence chemotherapy efficacy, tumor biology, immune checkpoint expression, and treatment outcomes.
- Conduct a structured scientific literature review related to cellular senescence in cancer, aging, or obesity.
- Participate in weekly research team meetings, scientific discussions, and literature updates.
- Attend academic seminars and networking opportunities with investigators, students, mentors, and members of the broader Toro Health Pathways community.
- Develop scientific communication skills through research summaries, presentations, and data visualization.
- Prepare a scientific poster for presentation at the Toro Health Pathways Poster Session in April 2027.
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What This Job Offers
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
High school or GED
