Internship and Fellowship Opportunities

The Research Internship Program provides international medical graduates with the skills necessary to enhance their research careers and pursue graduate medical education in the US. The program offers medical graduates the opportunity to: 

• learn uniquely integrated research field in developmental neuroscience and pediatric cardiology/cardiac surgery 
• gain experience in hands-on laboratory research 
• interact with faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and other interns 
• attend weekly seminar presentations by members on specific research projects and cutting-edge research tools 
• improve presentation, writing, and communication skills 

Please visit our review to learn more about our research.

Activities: 

Laboratory research: Interns actively participate in laboratory research studies in developmental neuroscience during their fellowship. In previous years, students have presented their work at major national scientific meetings and co-authored peer reviewed publications. The Ishibashi laboratory is located within the Center for Neuroscience Research and includes state-of-the art core facilities. The center is led by Vittorio Gallo, Ph.D., an internationally recognized developmental neuroscientist. 

Clinical observation: In partnership with Children's National Heart Institute, interns can participate in weekly surgery case discussions and daily Cardiac ICU rounds to learn more about congenital heart disease. Our pediatric cardiac surgery team performs hundreds of cardiac surgeries. World-renowned, pediatric cardiac surgeon Yves d'Udekem, M.D., is the co-director of the Heart Institute. 

International Medicine Programs: In partnership with International Medicine Programs at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, medical graduates may participate in a variety of programs across Washington D.C. International scholars gain expertise in the American medical system, as well as invaluable motivation to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to the medical and healthcare needs of their home country. 

Program Fast Facts

• Interns Per Year: 1-3 
• Application Deadline: Year around 
• Duration: 10-12 months (extension is optional) 
• U.S. Citizenship/Permanent Residency Required: No 
• We will support visa application and research expenses and will provide space/equipment/mentorship.

Application

Please submit your application to Nobuyuki Ishibashi, M.D.

Include the following items in your application:

• Personal statement/interest (one page)
• Current CV
• Two letters of recommendation
• Verification of medical school graduation

The program is intended to provide the highest quality experience for medical school students with a strong interest in pursuing careers as physician-scientists focused on cellular/molecular mechanisms in biology. 

The program offers students the opportunity to: 

• Learn uniquely integrated research field in developmental neuroscience and pediatric cardiology/cardiac surgery 
• Gain experience in hands-on laboratory research 
• Interact with faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and other summer interns 
• Attend weekly luncheon/seminar presentations by members on specific research projects and cutting-edge research tools 
• Improve presentation, writing, and communication skills 

Please visit our lab's website to learn more about our research. 

Student activities

Laboratory research: Students actively participate in laboratory research studies in developmental neuroscience during their fellowship. In previous years, students have presented their work at major national scientific meetings and co-authored peer reviewed publications. The Ishibashi laboratory is located within the Center for Neuroscience Research and includes state-of-the art core facilities. The center is led by Dr. Vittorio Gallo, an internationally recognized developmental neuroscientist. 

Clinical observation: In partnership with Children's National Heart Institute, students can participate in weekly surgery case discussions and daily Cardiac ICU rounds to learn more about congenital heart disease. Our pediatric cardiac surgery team performs hundreds of cardiac surgeries. World-renowned, pediatric cardiac surgeon Richard Jonas, M.D., is the co-director of the Heart Institute. 

Seminar series: Children’s National Research Institute, the research arm of Children’s National Hospital, hosts a Summer Student Lecture Series that covers a wide variety of topics in laboratory and clinical research in child health. Students are able to participate in the series. In the summer of 2019, a total of 15 different lecture topics were presented by experts in the field. 

Program Fast Facts 

• Fellows Per Year: 2-3 
• Application Deadline: January 15, 2020
• Duration: 8-10 weeks between May - August, 2020
• U.S. Citizenship Required: No 
• Stipend: Yes (view details about stipend)

Application 
The application period will begin November 15, 2019 and close January 15, 2020.

Please submit your application to Nobuyuki Ishibashi, M.D.

Include the following items in your application:

The Research Internship Program provides undergraduate students with the skills necessary to enhance their research careers. In previous years, students earned academic credit through the internship program and internship approval from their academic institution. 

The program offers students the opportunity to: 

• Learn uniquely integrated research field in developmental neuroscience and pediatric cardiology/cardiac surgery 
• Gain experience in hands-on laboratory research 
• Interact with faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and other interns 
• Attend weekly seminar presentations by members on specific research projects and cutting-edge research tools 
• Improve presentation, writing, and communication skills 

Please visit our review to learn more about our research. 

Program Fast Facts 

• Interns Per Semester or Summer: 1-3 
• Application Deadline: Year around 
• Duration: Minimum one semester is required 
• U.S. Citizenship Required: No 

In previous years, students earned academic credit and internship approval from their academic institution. 

Application

Please submit your application to Nobuyuki Ishibashi, M.D.

Include the following items in your application:

• Personal statement/interest (one page maximum)
• Current CV
• Letter of recommendation
• Verification of school enrollment

A funded postdoctoral research associate/staff scientist position is available in the laboratory of Nobuyuki Ishibashi, M.D., through the Center for Neuroscience Research at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. The laboratory carries out basic and translational research using novel animal models to investigate the impact of congenital heart disease on brain development.

The full-time research scientist will work on our NIH-funded project. Tools for state-of-the-art imaging together with cutting edge cellular/molecular analyses are available to address clinically relevant questions in neurodevelopment using preclinical piglet model. Piglets are powerful model organisms to study human brain development because they possess a highly evolved, gyrencephalic neocortex. There are many spatiotemporal similarities between human and porcine brain development. Bruker 7T AVIII magnet with custom 90mm quadrature volume coil and Bruker 9.4 AVI vertical bore AVI system are available at the animal imaging core.

The scientist will join a collegial, collaborative and highly productive department studying development and function/dysfunction of the CNS. Candidates should be highly motivated and focused. The position can be potentially upgraded to the Research Assistant Professor based on her/his performance.

Desired qualifications include:

• Ph.D., or equivalent degree in biophysics, biomedical Engineering, neuroscience
• Experience with preclinical MRI
• Matlab programming experience (beneficial, but not necessary)
• Diffusion tensor image acquisition and analysis (beneficial, but not necessary)
• rs-fMRI image acquisition and analysis (beneficial, but not necessary)
• Connectivity analysis (beneficial, but not necessary)

Applicants should submit:

• CV with publications,
• Statement of research interests and experience, and
• Letters from three references to:
  Nobuyuki Ishibashi, M.D.
  Investigator of Center for Neuroscience Research
  Director of Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory
  The Foglia-Hills Professor of Pediatric Cardiac Research
  Children's National Hospital