ASPIRE Internship Opportunity: TSC Alliance, International Research Conference Intern (Remote)
ASPIRE Internship Opportunity:
TSC Alliance®
International Research Conference Intern (Remote)
8737 Colesville Road, Suite 400
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
About the TSC Alliance:
The TSC Alliance is an internationally recognized nonprofit that does everything it takes to improve the lives of people with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).
TSC is a rare genetic disease that causes tumors to grow in different organs and can impair their function, primarily the brain, heart, kidneys, skin, eyes and lungs. Changes in the brain caused by TSC have the biggest impact on quality of life, from seizures and developmental delays to intellectual disabilities, behavioral challenges and autism. Some people with TSC live independently with few symptoms while others require complex care.
We drive research, increase care quality, improve access and advocate with and for people affected by the disease. Through our collaboration and partnerships, we’ve advanced FDA-approved treatments and created support systems around the world so that no one has to navigate TSC alone. The TSC community is our strongest ally. With the power of families and the support of donors, volunteers, researchers, educators, industry partners, and more, we can create a future where everyone with TSC can realize their full potential—no matter how complex their journeys are to get there.
Program Overview:
The TSC Alliance is seeking an intern to assist in the planning and execution of the 2025 International TSC Research Conference, a biennial event being held in Bethesda, MD from June 26-28, 2025. The program will convene 250-300 researchers and clinicians to discuss developments in TSC-related research and clinical care, to foster continued advances for TSC care.
The goals of the 2025 International TSC Research Conference are to:
- inspire new research directions by exposing trainees and researchers from both inside and outside the field to the latest research developments in TSC, and
- stimulate collaborative research to address unmet medical needs of those affected by TSC as well as related disorders, including epilepsy, autism, lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), and rare diseases with overlapping phenotypes. Types of research include basic, translational, clinical, genetic, and healthcare quality improvement research.
Internship Overview:
This internship is designed to provide the participant with meaningful experiences and exposure to leaders within the TSC Alliance and across diverse groups of stakeholders in the TSC community. The International Research Conference Intern will:
- Gain experience in organizing and planning an international conference and exposure to the professional culture in a national non-profit scientific foundation
- Meet and interact with international scientists and clinicians whose work impacts patients with TSC, including the Conference Co-Chairs, Organizing Committee members and invited scientific speakers
- Assist in planning the Early Career Researcher Symposium, a special career development session convened for and by postdoctoral scholars, fellows, and graduate students in the TSC field
- Facilitate the collection, review, and selection of submitted abstracts, including administrative coordination and communication with authors and reviewers
- Support the coordination of oral presentation sessions, meeting program development, and event planning logistics for the conference overall
- Take notes at the conference on all scientific sessions; write a subsequent conference summary that will be published on the TSC Alliance website and distributed to TSC Alliance scientific partners at future meetings and programs
The intern will report to the Science Project Manager and the Chief Scientific Officer and will also interface with other members of the scientific staff and organizational leadership.
Candidate Profile:
We are looking for a candidate with strong writing, project management, and interpersonal skills who excels in time and task management. The ideal candidate has excellent oral and written communication skills to interact with a wide range of stakeholders including researchers, clinicians, patients, and the lay public. Comfort with technology such as Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.) and remote collaboration tools (Zoom, Slack, etc.) strongly preferred.
Internship Details:
- Internship will start in November 2024 and run through July 2025.
- Internship is remote, unpaid, and part time. 2-5 hours per week are expected for the duration of the internship; additional time may be requested immediately prior to the June conference.
- The intern must be available to travel to the conference in Bethesda, MD from June 25-28, 2025. (The meeting begins the morning of June 26, so staff will arrive the day before.) During the conference, the intern is expected to be available from 8 am to 8 pm.
- The intern will communicate with the TSC Alliance primarily through Zoom meetings and email.
Applications are due by midnight, Monday, October 7, 2024.
- Fill out the ASPIRE Internship Application found here: https://redcap.link/ASPIREInternship_Application
- Submit a resume and cover letter at the RedCap link above. Please submit documents as pdfs with your last name_TSCAlliance_Fa2024_CL (or Resume) in the file name
- Set up a meeting with Angela Zito at (angela.zito@vanderbilt.edu) or Ashley Brady (ashley.brady@vanderbilt.edu) prior to the application deadline.
Your information will then be passed along to the organization who will contact you directly to schedule an interview.
For further questions, please contact Angela Zito (angela.zito@vanderbilt.edu) or Ashley Brady (ashley.brady@vanderbilt.edu).
Eligibility Requirements
Please review ASPIRE Internship FAQs: Found here
- Applicants must be a current Vanderbilt University PhD student or a current postdoctoral fellow.
- All PhD students must have completed all coursework for their degree prior to the start of the internship.
- Biomedical PhD students must also have passed their qualifying exams before the application deadline.
- Students and postdocs may not participate in more than one internship at a time. More than one application may be submitted at a single time, but only one position can be accepted.
- If you are not in a department supported by the BRET office, we will also require that you complete a form guaranteeing PI approval to participate in this program. Please contact Ashley Brady at ashley.brady@vanderbilt.edu for more information.
- If you are an international student or postdoctoral fellow, your visa status may affect your work eligibility. Please contact Ashley Brady (ashley.brady@vanderbilt.edu) to discuss this further.
- Must be authorized to work in the US