Co-op: Late Discovery Imaging

At Biogen, our mission is clear - we are pioneers in neuroscience. Biogen discovers, develops, and delivers worldwide innovative therapies for people living with serious neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Together, our employees create, commercialize, and manufacture transformative therapies for our patient population.   

We at Biogen are committed to building on our culture of inclusion and belonging that reflects the communities where we operate and the patients who we serve. We are focused on strengthening our foundation to advance our overall Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) strategy and, most importantly, ensure all our employees feel included. 

As an intern or co-op at Biogen, you can expect to be placed on a real project, under the guidance of experienced professionals and subject matter experts who are invested in your career and academic growth. We also ensure that you have plenty of opportunities to build your network, learn more about our organization through weekly lunch and learns led by leaders from across the company, and join us for several fun events.  

Summary 

This application is for a full-time 6-month co-op from January to June 2022. 

The Clinical Sciences Imaging Biomarkers group at Biogen discovers and applies innovative imaging biomarkers assessing their application to CNS drug development; and their utilization in the understanding of normo- and patho- physiology in disease models and in humans. The Late Discovery Imaging team within this group is seeking a motivated co-op student for an image data analysis project that may expand to include in vivo experimentation (if co-op is based in Cambridge, MA location).  

Position Description 

As a co-op student, you will focus on the analysis of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) biodistribution data. For this position, you will: 

• Navigate image databases 
• Collate and document analyses performed across various preclinical SPECT and PET experiments 
• Perform image analysis, including segmentation/region-of-interest analysis and image registration 
• Plot image analysis results 
• Prepare and present results within Biogen to different stakeholders 

Commensurate with your education and background, you will:  

• Develop image analysis strategies for preclinical SPECT and PET data 
• Identify gaps in our understanding of the biodistribution of different therapeutic modalities (such as small molecules, antibodies, antisense oligonucleotides, and gene therapies) based on imaging data 
• Generate testable hypotheses to address these gaps and design and support the conduct of preclinical imaging experiments to test these hypotheses  

You will be required to interact effectively and efficiently within the cross-functional environment at Biogen. You will work independently and, also collaboratively, with other team members in the Biomarkers group.  

To participate in the Biogen Internship Program, students must meet the following eligibility criteria: 

• Legal authorization to work in the U.S. 
• At least 18 years of age prior to the scheduled start date 
• Be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university 

The ideal candidate will be a PhD-student in molecular imaging or image analysis with experience in preclinical PET or SPECT imaging or image data analysis. Students pursuing a master’s degree or undergraduates are also welcomed to apply and will be considered. 

Required skills 

• Experience with medical image analysis or image processing (coursework-related experience is acceptable for undergraduate applicants) 
• Experience with scientific computing/programming via MATLAB, python, octave, C/C++, R, or related languages  
• Undergraduate and master’s-level applicants must have completed coursework in upper-level mathematics, computer programming, statistics, biology, and/or physiology 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite 
• Demonstrated leadership experience 
• Comfortable working independently 
• Well-organized with excellent attention to detail 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills 

Preferred skills 

• Familiarity with common medical image analysis software and tools is a plus: VivoQuant, 3D Slicer, FreeSurfer, SPM, AFNI, FSL, or related software/tools 
• Data visualization experience 
• Hands-on rodent handling experience 
• Hands-on preclinical SPECT or PET imaging data collection 
• Knowledge of therapeutic areas in neurology (e.g., neurodegenerative diseases) 

Education 

PhD-level student in Biomedical Engineering, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, Neurobiology, Neuropsychology, or related fields preferred. Students pursuing a master’s degree or undergraduates are welcomed to apply and will be considered. 

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.