The OHSU Parkinson Center and the VA Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Center (PADRECC), work in close collaboration to serve people whose lives are impacted by a movement disorder. Both organizations are internationally recognized for research capabilities and contributions from basic science to the latest clinical interventions. OHSU is currently designated as a Center of Excellence with the Parkinson’s Foundation, the Lewy Body Dementia Association, the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, and the CurePSP organization. This internship is located at the VA Hospital, but the mentor is also affiliated with OHSU.
The Raber Lab focuses on effects of genetic factors, such as apoE, and environmental factors, including irradiation, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, a Western diet, environmental toxins, and other stressors, on brain structure and function in experimental rodent models of human neurological diseases. The internship project will involve training in behavioral analysis of an animal model of a human neurological condition and related analyses to assess underlying mechanisms.
The selected intern can expect to take part in the following activities under the guidance of the mentor:
- Behavioral testing
- Data analyses
- Figure preparations
- Statistical analyses
- Presentations at meetings
The mentor's philosophy is to use custom mentoring rather than a 1 size fits all approach. They expect high motivation and willingness to go the extra mile from their mentees. The intern will be expected to do some degree of troubleshooting of their work, with the mentor and other team members available for input. This is a full-time in-person internship, with the expectation that the intern will work at least 300 hours over the course of the summer.
Students must be minimum age specified by June 15. These age requirements are strictly enforced by the mentoring organization, and there are no exceptions. Applicants should be aware that on-site parking may be limited and/or unavailable throughout the summer; interns may be required to rely on public transit or alternative transportation.
We strongly encourage students to apply who are from one or more systemically and historically excluded group, including but not limited to, non-cis-gendered students, girls, BIPOC, first-generation college-bound students, low-income/low-resourced students, students with disabilities, students who are neurodivergent, and those who speak a primary language other than English.
If you have any questions about the application, website technical issues and/or this position description, please contact Saturday Academy at ase@saturdayacademy.org. Do not contact the mentor directly. Contacting the mentor directly is grounds for disqualification of your ASE application.