Applications are invited for 4-year PhD studentship based in the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience(PDN)/Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge and the new AstraZeneca Discovery Centre at Cambridge. The student will be working on a collaborative project jointly supervised by Prof Rawlins in PDN/Gurdon and Dr Luigi Aloia at AstraZeneca and will work have opportunity to work across the two sites.
The project, entitled 'A reproducible human lung organoid platform for large scale oncology CRISPR screens' is in the field of human organoid/cancer biology that has generated much excitement in both academia and industry.
Project abstract: Lung cancer is heterogeneous. Variability between-patients, -tumours and within-tumours all affect drug efficacy and resistance. To identify and validate oncology drug targets we need human-relevant models capturing patient heterogeneity. Human lung organoids show promise for modelling the tumour micro-environment. However, cancer organoids do not grow reliably. We will distinguish between real-life heterogeneity which affects disease progression and technical artefact. We hypothesize that effects of cancer driver mutations are conserved across different genetic backgrounds (i.e. organoid variability represents real-life cancer heterogeneity) and will test this using genetic engineering to develop human lung adenocarcinoma from multiple normal biological donors. This will result in the development of tractable cellular models to study lung cancer development and progression and determine key mechanisms driving it in a reproducible and scalable fashion.
Candidate
We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual capable of thinking and working independently. This position offers the unique opportunity to engage with a multidisciplinary team, including statisticians and bioinformaticians from AstraZeneca, to enhance the impact of our research and grow the digital skills of the candidate. Applicants should have, or shortly expect to obtain, a first or upper second-class degree from a UK university, or an equivalent standard from an overseas university, in a relevant subject such as cell or developmental biology, or biochemistry. These positions are open to UK citizens or overseas students who meet the UK residency requirements (home fees) or can augment the funds to cover the extra costs associated with international student fees through scholarships or funding schemes. Students will not be allowed to supplement fees via self-funding.
Full details of the University's entrance requirements and scholarships are specified on the following link: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/.
Funding
Full funding covering Maintenance fees at £21,500 per annum and the University Composition Fee is provided for the studentship, with effect from 1 October 2025.
Application Process
To apply please visit: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/blpdpdpdn and click 'Apply Now' selecting the following course:
- PhD in Physiology, Development & Neuroscience (Full-time)
- Start Date: 1st October 2025
- Project Supervisor: Emma Rawlins
- Project Title: AZ funded non-clinical PhD Studentship (Fixed Term) in 'Human lung organoid platform for oncology'
- Research Proposal: Please add the project abstract listed above
Applications should include:
- Two academic references
- Transcript
- CV/resume
- Evidence of competence in English (If required - you can check using our tool)
- Statement of Interest outlining your suitability, why you are interested in a PhD in this area, your background and research interests.
- School of Biological Sciences - Widening Participation Questionnaire (applicants are asked to complete an additional form to provide contextual information about their previous study. Find out more about our use of contextual information here: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying/contextual-data.
For queries related to the PhD studentship, please contact Prof Emma Rawlins: elr21@cam.ac.uk.
Deadline
Completed applications (with ALL supporting documentation and references) to be submitted via the portal by 23:59pm (midnight) UK time on Mon 11th November 2024 at the latest. Interviews will be scheduled for the end of November.
As a graduate student at Cambridge, you will have access to a wide range of training opportunities and benefit from close supervision provided by a primary and secondary PhD supervisor, as well as a personal mentor. Additionally, this studentship will involve regular interactions with mentors at AZ, and periods of working at AZ. During their PhD, there is no taught or examined coursework, but students are encouraged to attend the wide variety of lectures and training courses available to them across the Institute and wider University. This includes a centrally run Statistics course and the University Core Skills Training Programme, which includes sessions on Time Management, Presentation and Performance and Scientific Writing. Students at the Institute will be members of the University's Postgraduate School of Life Sciences (PSLS) who offer a wide variety of core skills and professional development training. Visit the Researcher Development page on the PSLS website for more information. In addition, the student can also take advantage of training courses and seminars in therapeutic sciences offered by Cambridge Academy of Therapeutic Sciences. All students are expected to attend all internal and external seminars held within the Gurdon Institute/PDN. Students will also be encouraged to attend and present at the annual AstraZeneca students symposium.
Diversity and Inclusion
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. We place major emphasis on the importance of teamwork and an enjoyable work environment as a foundation for performing internationally leading research. This will allow the student to acquire cutting edge research methodologies in a supportive environment, where they can focus on making the best possible scientific progress.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.