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Scripps Research is a nonprofit biomedical institute ranked as one of the most influential in the world for its impact on innovation. We celebrated our 100-year legacy in 2024. This significant milestone marks a century of seminal discoveries in immunology, infectious diseases (such as COVID-19, flu, HIV), neuroscience, heart disease, cancer, and more. Located in La Jolla, California, the institute houses six research departments, multiple Nobel laureates, a top-ranked graduate school and a leading postdoctoral training program. Scripps Research encompasses two elite and highly innovative institutes, the Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines and Scripps Research Translational Institute, which merge foundational studies in biology, chemistry and computer science with translational science to produce pioneering drugs and advances in digital and precision medicine. Together, we cultivate new scientific leaders and expand the frontiers of knowledge to deliver medical breakthroughs impacting human health around the globe. If you have a passion for making a difference, this could be your opportunity to join our transformative team.
POSITION TITLE:Intern-Research
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.
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The above statements describe the level of work performed and expected in general terms. The statements are not intended to list all the responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of employees so classified, and the content herein is subject to change due to the business needs of Scripps Research, with or without notice. Furthermore, nothing in this job description shall be interpreted to be in conflict with or to eliminate or modify in any way the employment-at-will status of Scripps Research staff.
EEO Statement:
The Scripps Research Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We promote diversity of thought, culture and background in the fields of science. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic or status.
