Overview of Department & Mentor Please provide an overview or description of the department, research/administrative/clinical area, and Sponsor/Mentor. The intern will work in Dr. Eduardo Marban’s lab at the Smidt Heart institute. Marbán lab has been intensively studying cardiac progenitor cells, their origins and their therapeutic potential. Marbán’s discoveries form the basis for Deramiocel, a cell therapy product for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A major focus of his work now is on the role of extracellular vesicles as therapeutic platforms. This work has led to the discovery of various novel noncoding RNA drugs, now in development for clinical testing. Dr. Marban’s research is supported by NIH, CIRM, and other foundations.  Role Summary & Objectives Provide a description of overall role including goals and objectives. This should highlight how this role will be an educational opportunity or foster collaboration. Include specifics of the project, skills, and techniques the candidate will learn or be trained on.   This internship will provide the research environment for a college student to perform in vitro studies and immunohistochemical analyses on mouse and rat samples. It will support two ongoing projects examining the distribution and mechanism of action of cell-secreted products (exosomes and small non-coding RNAs) in cell culture and in vivo. The student will gain extensive experience in basic laboratory techniques including: western blot, cell culture, and immunopathology. Role Activities & Timeline Provide a detailed description of the activities that will be completed during this appointment. For interns, this should include specific information regarding mentorship and curriculum, including an intended timeline for the activities.  Required Education & Experience * Must be 18 years of age or older. * Must have a HS Diploma or GED. * Must reside in the greater Los Angeles area or surrounding cities while conducting all activities related to the intern or visitor appointment. * INTERNS: Those participating for academic credit must receive academic credit for the duration of the internship. * VISITORS: Must be receiving funding from an eligible sponsoring institution (employer, educator, funder, etc.). Preferred Education & Experience Science or medical interests Working Title: Research Intern (unpaid) Business Entity: Heart Institute Operations Job Category: Students/Interns/Trainees Position Type: Per Diem Base Pay:$0.00 - $0.00