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BRET Career Development ASPIRE Program

ASPIRE Internship: Scientific Data Curation and Knowledge Management Intern (remote position), CSNK2A1 Foundation

Posted by on Wednesday, September 3, 2025 in Announcements .

ASPIRE Internship Opportunity:

CSNK2A1 Foundation Scientific Data Curation and Knowledge Management Intern (remote position)

1929 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94109

October 2025-March 2026

About the CSNK2A1 Foundation

The CSNK2A1 Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on finding a cure for Okur-Chung Neurodevelopmental Syndrome (OCNDS) and ensuring affected individuals have the opportunities and supports necessary for happy and full lives. Our work is guided by four pillars that strengthen our capacity to accelerate progress toward treatment:

  • Board of Directors
  • Scientific Advisory Board
  • Parent Advisory Board
  • OCNDS Community

 About OCNDS

OCNDS is a rare genetic disorder that was first identified in 2016. OCNDS is caused by a heterozygous mutation in the CSNK2A1 gene, located on Chromosome 20. The gene CSNK2A1 encodes for the alpha subunit of a protein called Casein Kinase 2 (CK2) which plays a crucial role in development. More than 345 patients worldwide have been diagnosed with OCNDS so far. This number is expected to increase with increasing utilization of whole exome sequencing in other regions of the world. There is no definitive treatment for OCNDS yet.

All individuals with OCNDS have some degree of developmental delay and/or differences in brain function including autism spectrum disorder. The most common symptoms are speech delay/inability to speak, motor delay (e.g., walking, feeding difficulties), behavioral challenges (e.g., tantrums, hand flapping, other stereotypic movements), sleep problems due to disrupted circadian rhythm, and other neurologic problems such as low muscle tone (hypotonia), clumsy movements, small head (microcephaly), epilepsy (seizures), and gait abnormalities.

The ASPIRE intern will work under the direction of Gabrielle Rushing, Ph.D. (Chief Scientific Officer), Jennifer Sills, J.D. (Founder and President), and other collaborators as needed to assist in the responsibilities detailed below.

Primary Responsibilities

The intern will support scientific data curation and knowledge management by:

  • Aggregating variant-specific data from the literature and unpublished network data, summarizing findings for a scientific audience
  • Organizing 44+ OCNDS publications into a Zotero group, categorized by theme
  • Generating data summaries on CK2’s role in signaling pathways identified through drug repurposing screens
  • Creating additional summaries (e.g., roundtable presentations, grant application data, preclinical/clinical compound tracking) as directed by the CSO

Learning Opportunities
This position allows the intern to:

  • Gain experience in a start-up culture within a rare disease non-profit
  • Develop skills in scientific communication and content curation
  • Interact with scientists and clinicians engaged in OCNDS research
  • Explore additional project opportunities aligned with their interests

 

INTERNSHIP DETAILS:

  • Timeline: October 2025 – March 2026 (5–6 months, with possible extension)
  • Commitment: Remote, part-time (3–5 hours/week, variable)
  • Compensation: $25/hour; time tracking required (template provided by CSO)
  • Communication: Primarily via email and Zoom; in-person meetings possible (Dr. Rushing is based in Nashville).
  • Professional Expectations: Active engagement in meetings, open communication, and professionalism in all interactions.
  • Technology Needs: Access to a computer, reliable internet, and comfort using email, Zoom, Word, and Excel.
  • Confidentiality: All work remains the intellectual property of the CSNK2A1 Foundation. The intern must maintain confidentiality of unpublished data, draft manuscripts, and other sensitive materials.
    • Authorship on outputs/publications will follow ICMJE guidelines and be discussed transparently.
  • Termination/Completion: Either party may end the internship with written notice. Upon successful completion, interns may request a letter of recommendation or verification of their experience.

 

Requirements

  • Familiarity with literature reviews and citation management software (e.g., Zotero)
  • Attention to detail and strong written communication skills
  • Strong motivation to contribute to a mission-driven, small non-profit organization
  • Must be a US citizen or permanent resident.

 

Applications due by noon, Thursday, September 25, 2025

To apply:

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).

——————-

Please review ASPIRE Internship FAQs: Found here
​For further questions, please contact Ashley Brady (ashley.brady@vanderbilt.edu).

Eligibility requirements

  • 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

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