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Mason Alert:

George Mason University in-person classes are cancelled and administrative offices are closed Monday Jan 26, due to inclement weather. For more information about campus operations go here: https://www.gmu.edu/campus-status.

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George Mason University
Job Opportunity

Intern, Lung Aging (PhD Student) at Calico Life Sciences

Full Job Details

Employer: Calico Life Sciences

Expires: 02/15/2026

Who We Are:Calico (Calico Life Sciences LLC) is an Alphabet-founded research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies and model systems to increase our understanding of the biology that controls human aging. Calico will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives. Calico’s highly innovative technology labs, its commitment to curiosity-driven discovery science, and, with academic and industry partners, its vibrant drug-development pipeline, together create an inspiring and exciting place to catalyze and enable medical breakthroughs.Position description:Calico is seeking an intern to join the Gillich lab. To succeed, you will need to be an enthusiastic team player, detail-oriented, extremely organized and comfortable working on complex problems. In this position you will use CRISPR screening and cutting-edge functional genomics approaches to discover lung aging targets. The successful candidate will work closely with members of the Gillich and Cellular Phenotyping labs to establish a platform for co-culturing alveolar organoids derived from primary alveolar type 2 (AT2) cells with alveolar fibroblasts. Using this system, you will screen for reversal of lung aging phenotypes in the co-cultures using phenotypic and transcriptomic readouts. This project will contribute to our goal of understanding mechanisms of aging and identifying interventions that prevent or reverse aging and disease pathologies in the lung. Responsibilities: Establish alveolar organoid-fibroblast co-culturesTransduce alveolar cells with lentiviral libraryEstablish and employ phenotypic readouts (e.g., immunostaining, reporters)Analyze and interpret imaging and functional genomics data Contribute to screening strategy and gRNA library designPosition requirements:Currently pursuing a PhD degree, in cellular and molecular biology or related fields Experience working with organoids and/or co-culture systemsExperience with gene delivery (e.g., viral transduction)Experience with fluorescence microscopy and immunostainingExperience with the CRISPR/Cas systemDetail-oriented and organizedStrong teamwork and communication skillsSelf-motivated with a “can-do” attitudeFlexible, able to respond quickly to shifting priorities and able to multitaskNice to have:Experience with phenotypic and/or CRISPR screeningKnowledge of NGS library preparation, including 10x Genomics single cell gene expression library preparationExperience with Python and/or R, including single-cell and bulk RNA-seq data analysisAbout our Program:Calico’s internship program is a paid 12-week program over the summer for students interested in understanding the fundamental science of aging and finding treatments for the associated and intractable diseases. Working in a collaborative environment and fully embedded in one of our labs/teams, Calico interns tackle a unique project under the mentorship of at least one of our scientists or engineers. Program Features:3-month summer timelineIn-person experience at our offices in South San FranciscoMatching with at least one Calico mentorGroup supplemental activities weekly featuring guest speakers, Senior Leadership spotlights, and discussion groups on aging science, our drug development approach, and moreEnd-of-summer company-wide project showcase and poster sessionCompetitive compensation ($45 - $70/hour) and monthly living expenses stipend Program Eligibility:Able to work in-person at our offices in South San FranciscoFree for a consecutive period of 11-12 weeks in June, July, and AugustNot graduating before December 2026Exception for students enrolling into a graduate degree program in Fall 2026Must be enrolled in a US universityMust apply by application deadline: February 1, 2026.

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