Narry Kim Lab
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Postdoctoral researchers Undergraduate interns

Who can apply for the internship?

You can apply regardless of your undergraduate major or university. Not only current students but also students about to graduate and students on a leave of absence can apply. We welcome people who enjoy learning and thinking, and who believe in the values of diligence, honesty and consideration for others. So that interns can take part in research based on a basic knowledge of their major, we give priority to undergraduates who have completed four or more semesters as of the start of the internship. It helps to take biochemistry, genetics, and cell biology beforehand. It is also good to build up, beforehand, the ability to read research papers and understand their key research question and main experimental results.

When can I apply and take part?

We recruit interns at any time. However, because interns can learn and do research sufficiently when they take part for six months or more, we give priority to applicants who can take part for a long period. Because focused training is needed at the start, we recommend starting in a vacation if possible (we recommend starting in January or July). During the vacation, you must take part in research full time. Even during the semester, we welcome those who give lab activities a high priority, put enough time and effort into their assigned research, and take an active part in experiments and discussions.

If I take part as an intern, how can I grow as a researcher?

As an intern, you take part in research under the direct guidance of one postdoctoral researcher or graduate student. You will do things such as reading papers, learning molecular and cell biology experimental methods and doing experiments independently, analyzing sequencing data, and presenting research results. In projects that are mainly experimental, the primary training goal is to build the ability to carry out molecular biology experiments independently. In the first two months, through experiments such as plasmid cloning, cell culture, transfection and enzyme assays, western blotting and RT-PCR, you complete one cycle of the basic experiments needed for research on gene regulation. If you take part in research further after the two-month internship, you will design experiments according to the research goals. Interns who work mainly on bioinformatic analysis learn the basic analysis steps, such as QC of RNA-seq data, quantification of gene expression, normalization and statistical analysis of changes in expression. After two months, you can carry out analyses that fit the project’s research questions and interpret the results biologically. The specific things you learn may differ depending on the project, so please ask further questions during the interview.

If I take part in 2027 and 2028, which research will I take part in?

There are various projects, including the following.

Measuring the decay rate of mRNA and studying its regulatory mechanisms

The goal is to measure precisely how fast an mRNA therapeutic is degraded after it enters the cytoplasm, and to find out which decay factors regulate that rate. This research helps us understand the basic principles of gene regulation through mRNA, and at the same time can become a foundation for developing mRNA vaccine and therapeutic technologies.

Related papers

Studying the mechanisms of RNA stabilization

Our lab has found many RNA-stabilizing elements through high-throughput screens, but some of the candidates have not yet been tested by validation experiments. We plan to carry out validation experiments on them, and to study the mechanisms of the elements with clear stabilizing effects. This is expected to reveal new principles of RNA regulation, and can also be used to improve the performance of mRNA therapeutics.

Related papers

Biochemical and structural analysis of mRNA regulatory factors

Our lab has discovered many new proteins that regulate mRNA, and is now studying how they work. As an intern, you can learn protein purification, enzyme assays, interaction assays, mutagenesis and so on, and try doing research on RNA–protein complexes.

How can I apply?

Please apply using the Google Form. You will need to attach a personal statement and a transcript, so it is good to prepare them in advance. After reviewing the documents you submit, we will contact you individually to schedule an interview, and at the interview we will talk together about the internship activities.

The application form will be linked here soon.

More questions

Can the internship be linked to writing my undergraduate thesis?

Yes, it is possible.

Is the internship linked to graduate school admission?

It is not necessarily linked, but if you are considering applying to graduate school, we strongly recommend doing an internship in the lab before you apply. This is because we think it is important to spend time together beforehand to see whether the research direction and the lab culture suit you. You can also do an internship if you are not considering graduate school. However, when there are many applicants, we give priority to those who wish to apply to graduate school.