For more than a decade, the University of Cambridge and AstraZeneca have worked together at the heart of Europe’s leading life sciences cluster. They combine the strengths of a world-leading research university and a global biopharmaceutical company, united by a shared ambition to advance science, developing the next generation of scientists who can deliver innovation to the benefit of patients and society.
This latest development builds on the partnership’s strong track record of investing in early-career scientists. Since 2015, nearly 200 University of Cambridge PhD students have taken part in collaborative educational programmes with AstraZeneca, gaining experience in both academic research and drug discovery. Their experience not only benefits their own development, but also the wider scientific community, building the skills, ideas and expertise that underpin future innovation.
Nicola White, Business Engagement Manager at the University of Cambridge, explains: “This unique programme allows students to draw on a broad range of scientific expertise, technologies and resources, helping them to understand how fundamental research can contribute to the development of potential future medicines. The benefits also extend beyond the laboratories; working across academia and industry enables students to build professional networks, develop transferable skills and gain a broader understanding of the career opportunities available to them.”
The programme in practice
The AstraZeneca-University of Cambridge PhD Programme offers four-year fully funded PhD studentships in areas of shared scientific interest, spanning three broad research areas: innovative technology and platforms; novel biological and chemistry research and data, science and AI for drug discovery and development.
Each project is jointly supervised by principal investigators from the University of Cambridge and AstraZeneca. Students spend time in laboratories across both institutions, gaining first-hand experience of two distinct, but complementary research environments.
For Caroline Wyatt, a final-year PhD student at the University of Cambridge, the opportunity to work across industry and academic settings was an important part of choosing the programme: “I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to do a placement at AstraZeneca during my PhD. I really appreciated the industry experience and gaining an insight into how drug discovery at the high-throughput level works, while also being able to work in an academic environment where I could carry out exploratory work with access to a variety of tools and techniques.”
Shaping the future of science
The value of the AstraZeneca-University of Cambridge PhD programme extends beyond individual projects. By bringing academic and industry researchers together around shared scientific challenges, the collaboration creates opportunities for knowledge, ideas and expertise to move more freely between fundamental research and drug discovery.
For students, the programme offers more than the opportunity to complete a PhD. It provides exposure to different ways of working, access to a broad scientific network and the experience needed to navigate a changing research landscape. Graduates may go on to build careers in academia, industry or beyond, contributing to scientific discovery and innovation wherever their careers take them.
Jessica Corry, CEO and Co-Founder of biotech start-up Xterna, explains how the PhD programme gave her, “valuable insight into the drug discovery process. The University played a critical role in developing my scientific interests and capabilities, while AstraZeneca introduced me to the commercial aspects of the biopharmaceutical industry.
“I learned how R&D operates, how teams collaborate, and how priorities can shift within a large organisation. That experience ultimately guided my decision to focus on early-stage science which has directly informed the company I’m now building, which aims to bring external innovation to large pharmaceutical companies.”
By investing in people as well as research, AstraZeneca and the University of Cambridge are helping connect today’s scientific talent with tomorrow’s discoveries.
"The PhD programme is a great demonstration of our partnership with the University of Cambridge and our joint commitment to collaboration and to developing the next generation of talent,” says Michael Tonge, Director, Global Graduate, PhD and Placement Programmes at AstraZeneca. “Developing this talent doesn’t only benefit AstraZeneca; it also strengthens the wider innovation ecosystem in Cambridge, across the UK and beyond, helping to support scientific discovery and progress for years to come."
Read more about the Cambridge-AstraZeneca partnership
Learn more about the AstraZeneca-Cambridge PhD programme.
Reproduced courtesy of the University of Cambridge.
Image courtesy of AstraZeneca
