Internship 1: Protocol development for staining and image analysis of cellular organelles
“A picture is worth 1000 words” expresses the concept that there is a lot of information within images.
Using microscopy images of human cells in culture, quantifying image features, is a powerful tool for
studying organelle biogenesis and function. In combination with antibodies directed against a specific
protein, organelle markers can be used to study protein localization in the cell. Yale Center for
Molecular Discovery is looking for a summer intern to develop our abilities in organelle staining and
image quantification for several subcellular compartments of human cells.
In this internship, comprehensive literature analysis (vendor information and primary research papers)
will be performed to analyze currently available organelle antibodies and stains/dyes. . Following this
analysis, several markers (such as markers for cytoplasm, cytoskeleton, mitochondria) will be purchased
and used in experiments with cultured human cells. Staining protocols will be developed based on
manufacturer’s recommendations, and further optimized. Following imaging on InCell 2200 highcontent microscope, image analysis protocols will be developed to identify and quantify image features.
Finally, time permitting, small molecules which perturb organelle morphology and/or biogenesis will be
identified and tested using optimized staining and image analysis protocols. All results will be
documented for future use by YCMD and Yale faculty.