Research Internship Opportunity

PLEASE NOTE: The Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research (CPCR) is no longer a part of the BPRU. Please do not send us emails regarding applications to the CPCR. To learn more about their internship program, please visit their website.

The Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit (BPRU) at Johns Hopkins University is a world-leading site in the science of psychoactive drugs and behavior. The Unit has been in operation for over 45 years and has been at the forefront of major studies and developments related to drugs. Spanning the negative and positive effects of psychoactive drugs, whether illicit or legal drugs or medications, the BPRU takes a comprehensive approach to understand all aspects of drugs and their use, from substance use disorders and their treatment, to the development of novel psychoactive therapeutics. Few, if any, other research sites in the world have conducted human trials with such a wide variety of psychoactive drugs.  

The BPRU Student Internship Program is designed to provide direct experience in behavioral pharmacology and human research studies to interested undergraduate and graduate students. Many students receive skills they use towards graduate program applications, summer internships, employment, and networking in the field.  

Update: As of 2022, we only accept applications from currently enrolled Johns Hopkins University students.  

BPRU is composed of teams of research coordinators, research psychologists, therapists, data specialists, and psychometricians who help conduct research under the direction of Principal Investigators. With the supervision of investigators, postdoctoral researchers, and research coordinators, student interns assist in data management, data collection, patient recruitment, and related administrative tasks. The BPRU conducts studies with individuals both healthy or medically compromised, in treatment, and/or seeking treatment involving an array of substances (opioids, sedative-hypnotics, stimulants, cannabis, nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, etc.). The Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit (BPRU) at Johns Hopkins is a world leading site in the science of psychoactive drugs and behavior.  

In this Section

Major Research Themes of BPRU

  • Exploration of clinical, behavioral and pharmacological treatments for abused substances and various medical conditions. 
  • Investigation of aspects of substance use and medical conditions through experimental, theoretical, and literature review studies. 
  • Behavioral and neuropsychiatric assessment of drug abusers and healthy volunteers, including psychiatric comorbidity and cognitive and psychomotor functioning. 
 

Student Experiences 

Application to the BPRU Student Internship Program 

If you are interested in our Student Internship Program, please email us at [email protected] with the following:

  1. A brief self-introduction that includes (a) your name, (b) current year, major and minor, and (c) group/lab of interest.
  2. CV/Resume
  3. Unofficial transcript

Prospective applicants are highly encouraged to review this website, which is specifically designed to answer common questions. If there are specific questions that are not addressed, please contact us via email.

Important: In the spirit of equity, please hold off emailing Principal Investigators before hearing back from BPRU SIP.