The Project
We believe an internship whose core mission is to generate manual labelings of targeted structures in longitudinal data that are disease-relevant will be strong, both in terms of the educational opportunities for the interns as well as the resulting neuroscience. From a pedagogical perspective, we will target a different subcortical structure in the brain each year for labeling (e.g. amygdala, thalamus, caudate, etc.), enabling us to achieve a comprehensively labeled longitudinal dataset at the end of the 5-year program via a project-based learning approach. We will train the interns to recognize and label the structure on MRI, as well as provide an extensive series of talks from local neuroanatomists and clinicians detailing the structural, functional and connectional properties of the anatomy of interest and how it is impacted by various diseases and conditions. And we will use this project to expose the interns to programming and machine learning concepts, integrating biology and computer science as an example of interdisciplinary research.
What does this mean?
1. Learn About the Brain
In our neuroanatomy-focused program, you’ll have the opportunity to learn the anatomy of the brain and gain experience working with medical data to such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
2. Gain Computer Skills
In order to view various images of the brain, you’ll be trained in how to operate your computer through the terminal and gain basic coding skills! Additionally, you’ll use FreeSurfer, the software our lab developed, to label anatomical features on MRI images
3. Explore STEM Careers
Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to attend multiple seminars a week in which you will hear from leading researchers in a variety of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields. You’ll also get to attend a series of “career talks” in which professionals ranging from Clinical Coordinators to Med School Students to Nurses will share their experiences with you so that you get a sense of the variety of career paths available to you.
Learn more about the research projects interns have worked on in previous years: