Research Intern

Research Intern – Urologic Oncology (Toro Health Pathways Program)

Toro Health Pathways (THP) is a nine-month postbaccalaureate internship program created through a collaboration between the Cedars-Sinai Cancer Research Center for Health Equity (CRTEC) and California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). The program provides recent CSUDH graduates with an immersive, hands-on research experience in cancer and related health sciences, helping prepare participants for graduate education and research careers.

The Research Intern will join a urologic oncology research team focused on advancing the understanding of prostate cancer through epidemiologic and translational research. Working alongside experienced investigators and research professionals, the intern will gain exposure to molecular characterization of prostate cancer, transcriptomic research, biomarker evaluation, scientific literature review, and collaborative cancer research. This position is designed for individuals interested in cancer biology, translational medicine, epidemiology, and academic research who are seeking meaningful research experience prior to graduate or professional school.

Key responsibilities include participating in research team orientation and onboarding activities, collaborating with the research team to understand study objectives, conducting comprehensive literature reviews, critically evaluating scientific literature, observing and supporting research activities, assisting with data organization, attending mentorship and team meetings, contributing literature updates and research progress, and developing and presenting a scientific research poster.

Learning objectives include gaining experience in translational and epidemiologic cancer research, developing an understanding of molecular profiling approaches in prostate cancer, learning how molecular findings inform clinical decision-making and treatment strategies, building skills in research planning, literature review, data interpretation, and scientific communication, experiencing multidisciplinary collaboration, strengthening scientific writing and presentation skills, building professional networks, and developing introductory programming skills using R and Python.

Training and professional development will include systematic literature search methodology, scientific database searching, critical appraisal of oncology literature, prostate cancer molecular biology and transcriptomics, biomarker development and evaluation, cancer epidemiology principles, research data organization and interpretation, scientific writing and communication, research ethics, and collaborative research practices. Additional opportunities include shadowing research team members, participating in discussions connecting molecular findings with clinical outcomes, contributing to literature synthesis, and presenting research findings through a scientific poster.

The internship timeline includes orientation to the research environment, introduction to ongoing prostate cancer research projects, literature search and critical appraisal training, research planning and team integration in months 1–2; observation of transcriptomic data analysis, biomarker evaluation activities, guided data organization and interpretation, and weekly mentorship and research team meetings in months 2–7; and scientific poster development, presentation preparation, and poster presentation at the Toro Health Pathways Poster Session in months 8–9.

Interns will gain experience using Microsoft 365, REDCap, Deep6, and CS-IRB.

Ideal candidates will demonstrate a recent bachelor's degree in a health-related or life sciences discipline, interest in cancer research, translational medicine, or epidemiology, strong analytical and critical thinking skills, excellent written and verbal communication abilities, ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary research team, curiosity, attention to detail, and willingness to learn new research methodologies, and interest in developing computational skills, including R and Python.

What you'll gain includes immersive experience in an academic cancer research environment, one-on-one mentorship from experienced cancer researchers, exposure to translational oncology and molecular research, training in research methodologies and scientific communication, professional networking opportunities with researchers and peers, experience presenting research findings in a scientific setting, and strong preparation for graduate, medical, or research-focused careers.

Required education and experience includes being 18 years of age or older, having a HS Diploma or GED, residing in the greater Los Angeles area or surrounding cities while conducting all activities related to the intern or visitor appointment, receiving academic credit for the duration of the internship if participating for academic credit, and receiving funding from an eligible sponsoring institution if participating as a visitor.