Application deadline for Fall 2026 is Monday, August 10, 2026.

Student Internship Program | IFBR John Hopkins

Our Basic Science Research Internship Program, located in St. Petersburg, FL,  provides hands-on, mentored research experiences for motivated high school and undergraduate students. This program supports those who are interested in pursuing careers in basic science and academic research. 

Participants will work alongside scientists at the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, gaining direct exposure to research in a professional laboratory setting.

Program Description

This program offers an immersive, practical experience in basic biomedical research, including the design, execution, or analysis of ongoing studies. Depending on the level of contribution and timing, students may be eligible for co-authorship or acknowledgement in scientific publications. 

In addition to laboratory experience, students will have access to educational enrichment through:

  • In-person instruction from Johns Hopkins faculty on research design, methodology, analysis, and publication.
  • Seminars from the Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, individual lab meetings, and the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Seminar Series in Academia.
  • Enrollment occurs on a semester cycle- Fall, Spring, or Summer- allowing students to participate during the academic term that best aligns with their availability. Participation for more than one semester is allowed.

Mentorship Opportunities

Students may be matched with one or more of the faculty members below. To learn more about a faculty member’s research focus, please explore their individual lab page. 

  • Timothy Osborne, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Professor, Department of Medicine.
  • Laszlo Nagy, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Director, Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research. Associate Director, Center for Metabolic Origins of Disease. Professor, Department of Medicine
  • Andreas Patsalos, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Xiangbo Ruan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
  • Junko Sawada, D.V.M., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Martin Trapecar, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
  • Rui Zhou, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Departments of Oncology & Medicine
  • Oscar Ospina, Ph.D, Staff Bioinformatician, Health Informatics.  Dr. Ospina performs data analysis of multi-omics experiments, which involves quality control, software and pipeline design, and the application of statistical methods.

The recommended length of training is three to six months with a specific supervisor/research group within a given year and can be repeated with a different supervisor so that the trainee gains training in a different project/objective.

Acceptance into the program is subject to availability of a suitable mentor, project(s), and funding for projects and programmatic infrastructure/resources (as applicable).

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

  • Be actively enrolled in high school or a college degree-seeking undergraduate program.
  • Demonstrate effective communication, organization, and time-management skills.
  • Be dependable, motivated, and able to work both independently and collaboratively.
  • Commit to a minimum 8 weeks in the internship, in-person in St. Petersburg, FL.

Application Requirements

  • Completed application to the Basic Science Internship Program
  • A letter of recommendation from a school official (e.g., Principal, Science department chair).
  • Signed parental consent for students under age 18
  • Clearance by Occupational Health

Participant Expectations 

Upon acceptance into the program, students must:

  • Attend an introductory meeting with the program director.
  • Complete required Johns Hopkins Medicine online training, as well as in person safety training and shared resources training, within one week of the program start.
  • Participate actively in:

Mentor meetings

Research team discussions

Lab-based experiential learning activities

Cost to participant

  • There will be no cost for students to participate.

How to Apply 

  1. Complete the JHACH Basic Science Student Internship Program Application in its entirety JHACH BS Student Internship Application. 
  • You must include the following required documentation with the application:
    • Transcript
      • Resume/CV
      • Essay
      • Letter(s) of Recommendation
      • Verification from your school that you are currently enrolled in a degree-seeking program and anticipated graduation date
  1. Submit your application and all required documentation via email to: [email protected]. Application and required documentation must be received by the submission deadline.  Incomplete applications (which include required documentation) or those received after the submission deadline will not be considered.