Job Description

Under the supervision of the principal investigator, interns will be involved in literature review, research design discussions, data interpretation, and academic communication. The program also aims to cultivate global research vision, ethical awareness, and cross-cultural collaboration skills through close mentorship and engagement with international research partners.

Preferred Intern Educational Level

Applicants should be PhD students or Master’s students with strong research training and clear intention to pursue doctoral-level studies. A background in nutrition science, public health, biomedical sciences, life sciences, or related fields is preferred. Indigenous students with demonstrated interest in health equity, community-based research, or culturally responsive science are strongly encouraged to apply.

Skill sets or Qualities

• Strong interest in nutrition, health science, or biomedical research
• Basic research literacy, including the ability to read and summarize scientific literature
• Willingness to learn interdisciplinary approaches (e.g., nutrition, omics, public health, or data-informed research)
• Respect for indigenous knowledge systems, cultural values, and community perspectives
• Motivation to address health disparities and promote community well-being
• Good communication skills and openness to cross-cultural and international collaboration
• Self-motivated, responsible, and able to work independently with mentorship support

Job Description

• Design and optimize multi-epitope vaccine candidates using bioinformatic and AI-based pipelines
• Perform epitope prediction, filtering, and structural validation (B/T cell epitopes, antigenicity, allergenicity, toxicity)
• Apply R and Python for data analysis, visualization, and automation of bioinformatics workflows
• Conduct AI-assisted structural modeling and docking analyses (e.g., AlphaFold-based modeling, immune receptor interaction)
• Participate in immunoproteomics data interpretation (LC–MS/MS-derived antigen candidates)
• Support in vitro cell-based assays (e.g., immune activation, expression validation)
• Assist with in vivo animal experiments, including immunization protocols and infection challenge models (under supervision)
• Integrate computational and experimental results into manuscripts, figures, and conference presentations
• Engage in regular research meetings and contribute intellectually to experimental design and troubleshooting

Preferred Intern Educational Level

• PhD student or PhD-level researcher preferred
• Minimum requirement: Master’s degree in one of the following fields:
• Bioinformatics
• Computational Biology
• Immunology
• Microbiology
• Biomedical Sciences
• Systems Biology
• Data Science (with strong biological application experience)
• Applicants with prior experience bridging computation and wet-lab research are strongly encouraged.

Skill sets or Qualities

Required / Core Skills

• Proficiency in R and Python for data analysis and reproducible research
• Solid background in bioinformatics or computational biology
• Ability to read, interpret, and synthesize international scientific literature in English

Highly Desirable Skills

• Experience with epitope prediction tools, structural biology, or molecular docking
• Exposure to AI or machine learning applications in biological data analysis
• Experience with multi-omics data (proteomics, immunoproteomics)

Personal Qualities

• Strong independent research capability and problem-solving mindset
• Comfortable working in interdisciplinary and international research environments
• High level of scientific integrity, curiosity, and responsibility
• Motivation to translate computational insights into real-world biomedical solutions

This position provides intensive mentorship, exposure to Taiwan’s advanced biomedical research environment, and opportunities for co-authorship in high-impact publications and long-term international collaboration.