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Project Descriptions
Spring 2025

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Internship in Molecular Imaging Research

Youngho Seo, Professor  
UC San Francisco  

Applications for Spring 2025 are closed for this project.

Molecular imaging is a powerful method of interrogating biochemical properties of imaging subjects. Particularly in research, we use small animal positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), which are combined with x-ray computed tomography (CT). More commonly, these imaging modalities are known as microPET/CT and microSPECT/CT.

Our core imaging facility at UCSF China Basin Campus operates these scanners and work with world-class faculty and researchers. There are a number of highly significant research projects for which our preclinical imaging core facility provides important datasets using molecular imaging technologies.

The goal of this project is to expose student trainees (who are near graduation) and train them to become next-generation preclinical imaging researcher with hands-on experience and expertise.

Role: Training and Internship Opportunity
- Learn how to handle small animals for molecular imaging
- Learn how to run molecular imaging scanners (microPET/CT and microSPECT/CT)
- Learn how to quantify the imaging data
- Analyze the data and make figures, tables, and plots

Qualifications: Requirement
- Understanding of basic biology, chemistry, and physics
- Near graduation (preferably graduating after spring semester 2022)
- Ability to travel to San Francisco
- No constraint to work with small animals

Due to limited resources and mentor time, we will be conducting interviews to select the most suitable candidates.

We are more likely to find you suitable, if you meet many of the above required criteria, have proven track record of laboratory work experience, GPA above 3.0, and demonstrated interest in both biological and physical sciences.

We are also strongly interested in those who plan to take sometime (2-3 years) to gain research and work experience before moving to the next career stage (e.g., graduate school, medical school, etc.).

Hours: 9-11 hrs

Off-Campus Research Site: Most work will require travel to San Francisco. Some of trainings will be done remotely. Off campus location: UCSF Center for Molecular and Functional Imaging 185 Berry Street, Suite 350 San Francisco, CA 94107

Related website: http://www.radiology.ucsf.edu/physics
Related website: http://www.radiology.ucsf.edu/physics

 Biological & Health Sciences   Engineering, Design & Technologies

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