Biomedical Data Science Summer Internship 2026

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The Biomedical Data Science Summer Internship 2026 is a UNM program developed by the Translational Informatics Division of the Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, and focused on effective use and integration of NIH and other datasets for biomedical discovery. This program builds upon previous internship and independent study programs, particularly the 2025 CFDE Summer Internship at UNM, sponsored by the NIH Common Fund Data Ecosystem (CFDE), which featured datasets, scientific use cases, and research focus from the Illuminating the Druggable Genome (IDG) program, and the UNM course Independent Study in Biomedical Data Science (ISBDS).

Internship concentration options:

  • Integrating heterogeneous biomedical datasets, for data science research applications featuring Illuminating the Druggable Genome (IDG) use cases.
  • State of the art Neo4j knowledge graph databases, with instructions and examples suitable for beginning to advanced learners.
  • Public databases (e.g. CFDE Data Portal, Pharos, PubMed, PubChem) and cloud workspaces (e.g. Galaxy, AllofUs) to conduct biomedical data science research, for applications including bioinformatics, cheminformatics, and clinical informatics.

Interns will have access to project templates, example code, documentation, and other resources, based on scientific use cases, which can readily be extended and customized for novel independent study projects.

The BDS Summer Internship is scheduled for the summer of 2026, for approximately 9 weeks including June and July. In-person participation is encouraged, and applicants who will be in the UNM vicinity for the summer will be prioritized. However, full or partially remote participation is supported. The effort expectation is equivalent to that of a 3-credit course or 16 hours/week job, with evaluation primarily based on a final report and poster. Interns may allow their project reports and posters to be published online via the course website, and optional video poster presentations published via YouTube channel.

Dates:

Prerequisites and requirements:

  • Interns should be either current graduate students, advanced undergraduates, or recent graduates seeking training for a career in biomedicine.
  • Interns with a broad range of data science skills are welcome to participate via a custom research plan designed to be suitable to their background.
  • Interns are required to use their own computer, but will be provided with access to additional computational resources as needed.
  • Interns must, in cooperation with program instructors and advisors, submit a preliminary research plan by the start of the internship, June 1.

Application and Registration Process:

Application Form [DEADLINE MARCH 15]
In addition to completing the application form, applicants may be required to provide a résumé, transcript, and references, and answer follow up questions.
If accepted, a letter of intent is required to confirm registration.
Internship limit: 5.
In mid-May, registered interns will receive an introductory email, invitation to an orientation meeting (via videoconference), and instructions regarding development of their own research plan.

Project Templates and Ideas:

See this document: ISBDS-CFDE Project Templates and Ideas

  • Students are welcome to develop original research plans, and to ask for assistance in doing so, with priority for projects involving NIH data and tools.
  • Additional project templates are in development.

Requirements for Completion:

For successful completion of the internship, the following research outcomes are required.

  • Final Research Plan
  • Final Report
  • Poster
  • Poster Presentation Video
  • Active participation and engagement

FAQs

Will interns be employees?

No, interns will not be employed, by UNM, NIH, or any other entity.

Are interns required to be UNM students?

No.

Is this a paid or unpaid internship?

The internship is officially unpaid, however, a $2000 stipend will be provided directly to the interns, upon successful completion of the internship, sponsored by corporate partner Deucemont Data Science Systems, Inc. and in cooperation with the Albuquerque Community Foundation.

Where is the internship being held?

This internship is intended to involve weekly in-person meetings at UNM; remote participation is possible, for highly qualified and motivated persons.

What kind of support will interns receive?

Interns are paired with an advisor and instructors and administrators are also available to answer questions.

What equipment is required?

Interns are expected to have their own computer along with the ability to participate in videoconference meetings with their advisor.

Do I have to be a current undergraduate or postgraduate student to take this training course?

No. All qualified current students (undergraduate and up) and recent graduates are welcome to apply.

Can I receive UNM credit for this internship?

Yes, if enrolled as a UNM student for the summer semester, you may concurrently register for the course BIOMED 505 (Special Topics in Biomedical Sciences): Independent Study in Biomedical Data Science (ISBDS), for 3 credits, for which Dr. Yang is instructor, and complete that course by fulfilling the requirements of the internship. However, the tuition fee must be paid by the intern/student.

Contacts:

Feel free to contact us with any questions about the internship.

See Also:

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