Thesis Work, 30/45 Credits – Generation and Optimization of 3D Kidney Organoids for Assay Development

Job description

Are you passionate about stem cell biology and advanced in vitro modeling? Join our team for a Master’s thesis project focused on developing and optimizing iPSC-derived 3D kidney organoids to support drug discovery. You will gain hands-on experience in stem cell culture, differentiation protocols, immunocytochemistry, advanced imaging and image analysis, and qPCR, while contributing to the creation of robust, disease-relevant kidney models for mechanistic studies and assay development. About AstraZeneca AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company focusing on discovering, developing, and commercializing prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. But we’re more than a global leading pharmaceutical company. At AstraZeneca, we're dedicated to being a Great Place to Work and empowering employees to push the boundaries of science and fuel their entrepreneurial spirit. About the Opportunity As a Thesis Worker at AstraZeneca, you’ll find an environment that’s full of unique opportunities and exciting challenges. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to pursue your areas of interest whilst equally developing a broad skillset and knowledge base to get the best out of your experience. You’ll be working on meaningful projects to make an impact and deliver real value for our patients and our business. Thesis Work Description This project aims to develop and optimize culture conditions for iPSC-derived 3D kidney organoids by systematic design of experiments (DoE). The student will help refine media formulations, extracellular matrices, and key culture parameters to establish robust and reproducible workflows for kidney organoid generation. Hands-on work will include stem cell culture, kidney organoid differentiation, immunocytochemistry, advanced imaging and image analysis, and qPCR. The optimized system will be validated using disease-relevant perturbations, such as loss-of-function approaches and kidney injury stimulation, to assess model fidelity, robustness, and translational relevance. Key Objectives Optimize culture conditions using DoE and automation: Establish an efficient and reproducible workflow for refining media, extracellular matrix, and environmental factors for kidney organoid culture. Develop a quality control framework: Define quality standards for cross-plate and cross-experiment consistency to support robustness and reproducibility in downstream research applications. Your work will help establish advanced in vitro kidney organoid models for disease mechanism studies and high-throughput biology. Location This is an on-site position at AstraZeneca in Gothenburg, Sweden. AstraZeneca does not support with accommodations for this role. Project Structure Duration: Start Nov 2026/Jan 2027 Credits: 30/45' Essential Requirements Enrolled in a Master’s program in a Swedish University in cell biology, biomedical science, molecular biology, biotechnology, or another relevant field. Strong interest in stem cell biology, advanced invitro models, and translational assay development. Detail-oriented, independent, collaborative, curious, and comfortable solving scientific problems. Experience with cell culture is essential; experience with complex 3D models is preferred. So, what’s next? Apply today and take the chance to be part of making a difference, making connections, and gaining the tools and experience to open doors and fulfil your potential. We can't wait to hear from you! We welcome your application as soon as possible, but ahead of the scheduled closing date 22nd of September 2026 . In the event that we identify suitable candidates ahead of the scheduled closing date, we reserve the right to withdraw the vacancy earlier than published. Date Posted 02-Sept-2026 Closing Date 22-Sept-2026 Our 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.