About the role#
The Vitkin Lab at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre is seeking a Co-op student to support research on FLASH radiotherapy. You will work with senior scientists, physicists, and engineers to study tumour biology and the effects of novel radiotherapy techniques in preclinical mouse models. This is a temporary, full-time position for 4 to 8 months. You will receive specific training on all laboratory, imaging, and animal-handling protocols before beginning hands-on work.
What you'll do#
- Assist in the design and execution of in vivo FLASH irradiation experiments using the dorsal skinfold window chamber mouse model.
- Support animal preparation, handling, and monitoring according to institutional protocols.
- Acquire longitudinal tumour and vascular imaging data using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and 7T small-animal MRI systems.
- Process, analyze, and quantify imaging data using MATLAB or Python.
- Assist with experimental planning, including irradiation scheduling and control-group setup.
- Contribute to manuscript drafting, literature reviews, and reference management.
- Create publication-quality figures, data visualizations, and presentation materials for lab meetings and conferences.
- Document all experiments and results in laboratory notebooks or electronic records.
- Maintain a safe, clean, and organized laboratory workspace.
What you'll need#
- Current enrollment in a university program for Biomedical Engineering, Engineering Science, Medical Biophysics, Physics, or a related field.
- Strong communication skills and an interest in scientific writing.
- Ability to prioritize tasks across multiple projects and meet deadlines.
- Detail-oriented approach with strong critical thinking and organizational skills.
- Self-motivated work ethic.
- Previous experience in a research laboratory is preferred.
- Proficiency in MATLAB or Python is an asset.
- Experience with optical imaging techniques, MRI, or small-animal handling is an asset.
- Familiarity with radiation biology, radiotherapy physics, or tumour vascular biology is an asset.
Location & details#
- This role is located at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Ontario.
- The position requires on-site attendance.
- This is a paid, full-time contract role.
About University Health Network
University Health Network is a nonprofit research hospital system based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1986, the organization includes Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospitals, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, and the Michener Institute for Education. It maintains an affiliation with the University of Toronto to support its work in patient care, research, and education. The network employs over 10,000 people and focuses on specialties including cardiology, oncology, neurosciences, and genomic medicine.
How to get in at University Health Network
Applying early to University Health Network gives you a distinct advantage because recruiters review applications before the talent pool becomes overwhelming. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published anywhere, so you apply among the first. This helps you get your materials in front of the team while they are still actively building their shortlist. You can reach out directly to the recruiters behind University Health Network roles to ask about the position or a potential referral. Intern Insider surfaces these contacts so you can bypass the general queue, which often improves your response rates significantly. It is a more effective approach than waiting for a status update on a portal.
