Bioinformatics/Comutational Biology Internship
Cambridge
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical business and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. AstraZeneca Summer Internships introduce you to the world of ground-breaking drug development, embedding you in highly dedicated teams, committed to delivering life-changing medicines to patients. Our 10–12-week program is designed for undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students. We offer exciting opportunities across Research & Development, Operations, and Enabling Units (Corporate functions).
Our internships immerse students in the pharmaceutical industry, allowing the opportunity to contribute to our diverse pipeline of medicines whether in the lab or outside of it. You will feel trusted and empowered to take on new challenges, but with all the help and guidance you need to succeed. This internship will help you develop essential skills, expand your knowledge, and build a network that will set you up for future success. You will be surrounded by curious, passionate, and open-minded professionals eager to learn and follow the science, fostering your growth in a truly collaborative and global team
At AstraZeneca, we use multi-omic data from patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models to uncover biomarkers and mechanisms that guide precision oncology. In this internship, you will explore how RNA-Seq foundation models can be applied to PDX datasets to understand and predict response to targeted therapies (including camizestrant, PRMT5i, PARP1i) and identify new biomarkers to validate in AZ clinical trials. The role sits within the Enterprise AI unit across computational biology, bioinformatics, and translational science, and will focus primarily on RNA-Seq while integrating available DNA-Seq, proteomics and methylation sequencing data where relevant. The aim is to evaluate what foundation models can deliver in a real translational setting, using well-defined response endpoints and robust, transparent analyses.
Accountabilities
The successful candidate will:
Conduct essential QC and preprocessing of PDX RNA-Seq data (e.g., normalization, batch review, PDX-specific considerations) and curate response endpoints and relevant covariates.
Apply pretrained RNA-Seq foundation models to generate transcriptomic representations and associate these features with drug response to one or more targeted therapies.
Benchmark against simple, strong baselines (e.g., regularized linear or tree-based models) and compare to conventional pipelines (e.g., differential expression, pathway scores).
Perform basic model interpretation (e.g., feature attribution and gene-set enrichment) to propose biomarker hypotheses and potential mechanisms of response or resistance.
Document methods and results thoroughly, and present a concise summary of findings and next steps at the end of the internship.
Essential Criteria
Currently undertaking a PhD in Bioinformatics.
Experience with RNA-Seq data analysis (e.g., QC, differential expression analysis, pathway analysis) and downstream statistical or machine-learning modeling.
Proficiency in Python and/or R for data science (e.g., pandas/tidyverse).
Foundational understanding of cancer biology and interest in translational oncology and targeted therapies.
Must be at least 18 years of age at time of application.
Must have UK right-to-work status.
Must return to schooling at program close (candidates graduating before/during the programmes are ineligible)
Desirable
Experience with one or more of the following is a plus: PDX or pharmacogenomic datasets and response metrics; pathway or transcription factor activity inference; integration of multiomic datasets; exposure to foundation or pretrained models and transfer learning; reproducible research practices (Git, containers, etc.); cloud or HPC environments; communicating complex analyses to varied audiences.
AstraZeneca is where you can immerse yourself in groundbreaking work with real patient impact.
Trusted to work on important projects, you’ll have the independence to take on new challenges while receiving all the guidance you need to succeed. Our collaborative environment is designed to help you grow professionally and personally, surrounded by passionate individuals eager to make a difference.
Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca, starting with the recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics.
We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any reasonable adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.
Ready to make an impact? Apply now and join us on this exciting journey!
Date Posted
26-Jan-2026
Closing Date
09-Feb-2026Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.
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