Apis Assay Technologies Ltd have opportunities for PIPS placements in their Technical team, working with teams across the company. Read on to find out more.
Read morePIPS Opportunity: Apis Assay Technologies Ltd (open deadline)
Apis Assay Technologies Ltd have opportunities for PIPS placements in their Technical team, working with teams across the company. Read on to find out more.
Read morePIPS Opportunity: Apis Assay Technologies Ltd (open deadline)
I completed my internship at the Leeds FBS Mass Spectrometry Facility, where I was primarily involved in a range of projects related to proteomics and intact mass spectrometry. My main responsibilities included sample preparation for proteomics analysis and overseeing the running and analysis of intact mass spectrometry samples as part of the facility’s service.
A key aspect of my role was method optimisation—I worked on refining protocols for a new column in the intact mass spectrometer, ensuring improved performance and reliability.
I was also involved in method development for a liquid handling robot, which aimed to automate sample preparation of proteomics samples, thereby increasing efficiency and consistency in laboratory workflows.
Outside of the lab, I was responsible for driving the application for our LEAF Bronze Award, which recognises laboratories implementing sustainable practices, and we were awarded the LEAF Bronze award recently. I also created a poster showcasing the facility’s capabilities and potential applications, which was presented at the Astbury Open Day 2024—and it was awarded first prize!
Mass spectrometry is a powerful analytical tool with a wide range of applications. As I previously had only limited experience with running mass spec samples as part of my own PhD project, I was keen to learn more this technique, from sample preparation to data analysis, and gain some more hands-on experience.
Beyond the technical aspects, I was also interested in understanding how a research facility operates. This internship provided valuable insight into the day-to-day management, service provision, and method development processes that support a wide range of scientific projects in a variety of disciplines.
From a technical standpoint, I gained hands-on experience in intact and proteomics mass spectrometry, whilst also improving my proficiency with commonly used analysis software, writing SOPs for other users to assist in their data analysis.
Furthermore, I gained experience in science communication through the design and presentation of a facility poster showcasing our capabilities and potential applications. Leading the application for the LEAF Bronze award also strengthened my project management skills.
Developing a method for the liquid handling robot required a lot of problem solving, and for both this, and many other aspects of my PIPs, I needed to be able to understand and apply a wide variety of information. This allowed me to build upon the skills developed during my PhD, but challenged me to employ these skills to digest a much broader range of material, on topics I was unfamiliar with.
Starting out in the mass spec facility was more challenging than I thought it would be, as I was moving from a lab where I was an ‘expert’ in my own project, to an environment where I had little to no technical expertise. This meant a steep learning curve! However, by being involved in running the facility and developing my technical skills dramatically improved my confidence, as I realised there were many transferrable skills that I had gained from my PhD which I could utilise during my placement in the facility.
I hope that my contributions, such as method optimisation, SOP development, and automation improvements, have streamlined workflows and will benefit future users. Leading the LEAF Bronze Award application also promoted sustainable lab practices with a lasting impact.
Most importantly, I’ve built lasting friendships with the amazing mass spec team, making this an incredibly rewarding experience both professionally and personally.
Overall, my internship provided valuable hands-on experience in mass spectrometry, method development, sustainability initiatives, and scientific communication, allowing me to develop both my technical expertise and transferable skills.
I would encourage other PGRs to choose a PIPS placement that challenges them and helps them develop new skills. It’s a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience in an area you’re interested in but may not have had formal training in.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to places that aren’t actively recruiting— many opportunities aren’t advertised, but asking around or just having chats in the corridor can lead to unexpected opportunities!
Applications for the Academy of Medical Sciences’ Grants & Programmes PhD Internship scheme are now open!
Read morePIPS Opportunity: Academy of Medical Sciences (deadline 4th April)
QIAGEN is the leading global provider of Sample to Insight solutions to transform biological materials into valuable molecular insights. QIAGEN sample technologies isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins from blood, tissue and other materials. Assay technologies make these biomolecules visible and ready for analysis. Bioinformatics software and knowledge bases interpret data to report relevant, actionable insights. Automation solutions tie these together in seamless and cost-effective molecular testing workflows. QIAGEN provides these workflows to more than 500,000 customers around the world.
Read morePIPS Opportunity: QIAGEN Manchester (multiple intakes)
I completed my PIPS placement at the Open Innovation Team (OIT) who carry out policy work for different UK government policy departments. The primary focus of the team is to bring academic voices into the policymaking process and to provide policymakers with up-to-date research on an issue.
Whilst at the OIT I worked on several projects across a diverse range of policy areas. Initially, I was placed on a team who were looking into decarbonisation strategies for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). I was involved in interviewing academics and other stakeholders and was able to lead a few of these interviews towards the end. I also was involved in the report drafting stage and delivered the final presentation to DESNZ in their Whitehall offices.
Following this, I then worked on a project looking into the adoption of generative AI in schools which was commissioned by the Department for Education (DofE). I helped to organise a series of panel discussions by identifying academic experts who were invited to discuss several key questions areas on this topic.
As a cohort of placement students, we attended training sessions to get us up to speed on conducting interviews, drafting OIT reports/slide decks, and also to provide a more general understanding of the civil service structure.
I was open to a number of PIPS options, though I was leaning towards a policy-based placement as this is an area where I had little experience. The diversity of topics that the OIT worked on was also attractive.
Carrying out and conducting interviews was an area which I had little to no experience in before my PIPS placement. At the end of the first project, I was confident enough to lead several 1 hour + interviews which required prior research of the academic and the generation of a tailored set of questions.
The drafting process involved in producing OIT output for the client was very fast paced, dynamic, and different to what I had experienced before. Initially, this was a big learning curve, but I soon got to grips with the process.
Lastly, owing to working on a diversity of policy areas it was important to be able to orientate yourself with the general background research of that topic in a timely fashion.
I was able to contribute to several projects at the OIT, some of them still ongoing. Owing to the small team at the OIT, PhD placement students are necessary to facilitate the project work. In return the placement offers an experience whereby you are given a good deal of responsibility early on.
The impact the PIPS placement has had on me has been to continue my interest in working on research that has policy impact. It has also provided me with a greater understanding on the different ways that academics can achieve policy impact with their research.
My PIPS experience was entirely positive. It provided me with a supportive and interesting environment to experience what it is like to work in policy.
I would take time to think about what skills/experience you have and what areas you would like to gain experience in. It is very rare in your career path that you are going to be given the freedom for 3 months to try something completely different so don’t waste it.
Read more about the Open Innovation Team.
For my PIPS I did a UKRI Policy Internship Placement based at Defra. My main job was to take a systems thinking approach on Defra’s Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP).
Read moreEmily Magkourilou – Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
yet2 is a global open innovation and technology scouting services company with offices in the US, Europe (Liverpool and Nottingham) and Asia and works across a range of company sizes and engages with: Global 1000, Small/Medium Enterprises, Venture Capitalists, Incubators, Accelerators, Research Institutions and Technology Brokers. They work across all disciplines but have a strong client base in consumer healthcare, pharmaceutical, medical devices, and agricultural technology – see the Active Projects page for an overview of the variety of work we cover.
The ABPI exists to make the UK the best place in the world to research, develop and use new medicines. They represent companies of all sizes who invest in discovering the medicines of the future.
Their members supply cutting edge treatments that improve and save the lives of millions of people. They work in partnership with Government and the NHS so patients can get new treatments faster and the NHS can plan how much it spends on medicines. Every day, they partner with organisations in the life sciences community and beyond to transform lives across the UK.
Read morePIPS Opportunity: Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI)
I completed my PIPS placement at Exciting Instruments, an innovative start-up specialising in the development of high-throughput scientific instruments. My primary focus during the placement was performing Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) and Fluorescence Cross-Correlation Spectroscopy (FCCS) experiments to support the development of their latest high-throughput instrument. This involved optimising experimental protocols, analysing data, and troubleshooting technical challenges.
I went to the Diamond Light Source (DLS) in Didcot, Oxfordshire. I worked alongside crystallographers at the VMXi beam, and was supervised specifically by Dr. Halina Mikolajek. The VMXi beam at DLS specialise in in situ crystallisation, wherein X-ray crystallography data is collected from crystals at room temperature from inside the 96-well plates within which they initially grew. A benefit to collecting data in situ is that you can collect data from multiple microcrystals in time-resolved crystallography experiments.
I went to the Julia Garnham Centre, which is a partnership between the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Children’s Hospital. The centre trains university students to carry out some of the large volumes of work that NHS genomics staff are tasked with.
I did my PIPS with the charity Sense about Science, an organisation that was set up to promote the public interest in sound science and evidence. Through various projects Sense about Science advocates for transparency in all areas across Government, research, and industry. I was able to get involved in many of these projects, the biggest of which was Evidence Week.
I attended Oxford Nanopore Technologies, a company that creates next generation sequencing technologies for long read sequencing of cDNA or direct RNA, enabling the detection of interesting features such as modifications and splicing.
I recently completed my placement with the Royal Microscopical Society (RMS), a prestigious non-profit academic society.
I decided to do my PIPS with an organisation involved in policy-making and public engagement. I was able to connect with Yorkshire Cancer Research, which is a charity that aims to save lives in Yorkshire and beyond.
I undertook a teaching placement at York St John University on the Biomedical Science program. During my time on placement, I was put in charge of organizing the biochemistry lecture series on metabolism.
Read moreJack Stenning – Biomedical Science Teaching Program
I undertook my PIPs at the Protein Production Technology Facility at the University of York, under the supervision of Dr Jared Cartwright. During my time there, I worked on the expression and purification of large complexes from a range of eukaryotic host organisms.
Read moreJames Barrett – Protein Production Technology Facility
I went to York St John university to assist in teaching the undergraduate Biomedical Sciences course.
The Academy of Medical Sciences is welcoming applications for its open policy internship scheme in 2025/26. Our policy internship is designed to give PhD students first-hand experience of the medical science policy environment, to gain insights into how research can impact on policy, and to build valuable networks with the UK’s most eminent medical scientists and key science and health stakeholders.
This internship builds on over ten years of experience of running internships at the Academy and broadens access to a wider range of PhD students.
We are looking to work with PhD funders, HEIs, DTPs or research institutes to offer UK-based PhD students the opportunity to join the Academy’s policy team for a three-month internship to gain insights into how research can impact on policy, develop new skills in communication and influencing, and build valuable networks with the UK’s most eminent medical scientists.
Read on for more details and the link to apply.
For her PIPs, Katie worked for Farm Carbon Toolkit. Read more about her experience here!
Sygnature Discovery is a world-leading integrated drug discovery Contract Research Organisation based in the UK and Canada with its headquarters in Nottingham and additional facilities in Alderley Park, Macclesfield, Glasgow, Montreal and Quebec City. Its staff of over 1,000, which includes 900 scientists, partners with global pharma, biotech and NFP organisations.
Since 2004, Sygnature Discovery has delivered over 40 novel pre-clinical and 22 clinical compounds, with its scientists named on over 170 patents. Therapeutic areas of expertise include oncology, inflammation and immunology, neuroscience, metabolic diseases, infectious diseases, fibrotic diseases and more. To find out more, please visit www.sygnaturediscovery.com.
Read morePIPS Opportunity: Sygnature Discovery (open deadline)
The Company of Biologists is looking for one or more interns, through the BBSRC DTP/PIPS or equivalent schemes, to work on our community sites – the Node, preLights and FocalPlane. This is a great opportunity to gain experience in the rapidly growing online science communication environment, to develop writing skills, and to learn about academic publishing.
Together, the Company’s three community sites provide platforms for the research community to share news, discuss issues relevant to the field and read about the latest research and events. The Node is a field-specific site for developmental biologists, FocalPlane aims to bring together the microscopy and biology communities, and preLights is focussed on highlighting the preprint literature and exploring the journey from preprint to publication. The intern will be involved in the day-to-day running of one or more of the sites, and will be mentored by the relevant Community Manager(s). The internship will be based in the office in Cambridge.
Read morePIPS Opportunity: The Company of Biologists: Community Site internships
The Company of Biologists is a not-for-profit organisation and publishes the three internationally renowned, established journals Journal of Cell Science, Development and Journal of Experimental Biology, as well as the two fully Open Access journals Disease Models & Mechanisms (DMM) and Biology Open (BiO). The organisation has an active programme of charitable giving for the further advancement of biological research, including travelling fellowships for junior scientists and contributions to academic societies and conferences.
They offer Professional Internships for PhD students. Each internship is carefully defined, both with the institute and the individual, and usually involves projects with our journal teams.
Each year they recruit an intern (usually through the PIPS programme) to work on a project in Citation Metrics.
Read morePIPS Opportunity: The Company of Biologists: Citation Metrics 2025
Random42 Scientific Communication provides digital scientific communication solutions to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Random42 consists of scientists, artists, animators and programmers, who collaborate to effortlessly intertwine the worlds of science, art and technology, producing some of the most impactful scientific imagery, stories and interactive experiences. The team of in-house scientists hold PhDs in areas of molecular biology, and work across the full range of therapeutic areas we cover.
Address: Random42 Scientific Communication, 114-116 Marylebone Lane, London, W1U 2HH, UK
Website: https://random42.com/
Read morePIPS Opportunity: Random42 Scientific Communication (open deadline)
Sense About Science are currently advertising for internship vacancies and now have a new dedicated webpage for internships on their website.
Sense About Science offer rewarding internship opportunities for PhD students to gain experience of working in a busy campaigning charity across science communications, policy and public engagement. They typically offer three-month placements in their London office and only consider short-term internship applications as part of a funded scheme, such as the PIPS professional internship scheme for PhD students.
Please see here for details on the UKRI Policy Internships Scheme, which is now open! Placements are expected to take place within the 2024 calendar year, with the earliest starting in January 2024.
The Royal Institution (Ri) is looking for nine Phd students to join us for a three-month internship across four different teams within the Ri: CHRISTMAS LECTURES (x1), Digital Media (x4), Marketing & Communications (x1) and the Young Scientist Centre (x3). These placements are ideal for students interested in science education and communication, and education outreach.
Read moreRoyal Institute – various roles – Apply by 25 July 2023 (one role is 8 Aug)
There is no deadline for applications. If you are interested, it is suggested you apply ASAP before they fill the role from elsewhere.
Want to know more about the students working behind the scenes to cover events, create newsletters and keep you up to date with everything WRDTP? Look no further!
The Academy of Medical Sciences Grants and Programmes internship scheme is now open for applications for internships beginning from October 2023.
This is a unique PIPS opportunity that has been created by Phil Lang, the PIPS contact for The University of York. You will be working alongside Phil in his wider role as Placements, Employability & Engagement Officer.
This is a brand-new internship and has been uniquely created for White Rose BBSRC DTP students.
Read moreTeaching at York St John – Rolling deadline for 2023/24
The purpose of this role is to provide administrative support to the Executive Editor and senior publishing staff in publishing of the journals New Phytologist and Plants, People, Planet.
The New Phytologist Foundation is an independent, non-profit-making organization dedicated to the promotion of plant science.
Azotic Technologies Ltd is an innovative Biotech company specialising in the development and commercialisation of novel microbial biostimulants for the agricultural sector.
Applications are now open for the BBRSC ICURe Explore programme, designed to help bioscience researchers, PhD students and technicians to explore the market and commercial potential of their bioscience research projects. Up to £35k of funding is available to ‘get out of the lab’ and validate commercially promising bioscience ideas in the marketplace.
Read moreBBSRC ICURe Explore Programme – Deadline 27th March 2023
Job role: Protein Engineer
Location: Westbourne Park, London
Position: Full-time, available from April onwards
There is no deadline advertised but the position is likely to start from April, so don’t delay your application!
A group of BBSRC White Rose DTP students from the University of York have teamed up to organize this year’s Pint of Science event in York – bringing cutting-edge research to a boozer near you. We spoke to event co-ordinator, and 3rd Year PhD student, Conor Scott to learn more about the event and what he hopes it will achieve.
Read moreBBSRC White Rose DTP PhD Students Organize Pint of Science Event in York
The Royal Institution is looking for a PhD student to take on an internship as a Science Presenter Intern in our Young Scientist Centre for a 3-month placement to gain experience of presenting to a group of young people in an engaging, educational environment and to receive training in science communication. The internship is from May to July 2022, with some flexibility.
The successful intern will:
For more information about our internship programme and details on individual placements, timeframes and how to apply, please see our website; https://www.rigb.org/about-us/work-with-us
The closing date for receipt of applications has been extended to 9am Tuesday 12 April 2022
Interviews are now planned for 26 & 27 April.
Please note, the Ri offers placements for students who are enrolled on a research degree under the Doctoral Training Partnership programme funded by Research Councils including the BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC, MRC, AHRC and NERC.
You will need to obtain the grant holder’s written permission to undertake the placement, outlining any funding arrangements, before a position can be offered. [Note from the DTP Co-ordinator, Catherine Liddle: You will normally be sent a form to complete. Please forward this onto me, email: WRDTP@leeds.ac.uk]
The role is based in Central London; students will be expected to base themselves within or near to London for the period of the placement.
[Note: The RI will cover the travel cost of one return journey to the placement. The DTP PIPS allowance for travel and accommodation is £1,000 over the 3 month period. You will therefore need to find additional sources of funding to pay for accommodation in London for the duration of this placement.]
If you have any queries or need any further information about the Ri or these opportunities, please contact us at recruitment@ri.ac.uk
Kind regards,
Rakhshanda Hussain
HR Coordinator
Working days: Tuesday – Friday
Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BS
t: 020 7670 2907
Joanna went to CN-Bio Innovations in Cambridge for her PIPS placement, a bioengineering company that specialises in developing single and multi-organ microphysiological systems and innovative lab technologies. They interact with many different pharma and biotech companies to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of preclinical drug testing with clinically translatable systems.
The featured image is the logo of CN-Bio Innovations.
What did you do?
I worked with the research and development team to try and introduce and integrate immune cells into their established organ on chip systems. A couple of previous preliminary experiments had been done, but my main role was to get this project up and running and generate a core dataset to understand how it can be introduced into other systems. I also participated in team meetings, journal clubs, Toastmaster and wrote a research proposal for the CEO to outline the plan for the project and future applications of my findings.
What made you want to do that particular placement?
I was keen to explore what research outside of academia looked like and see first-hand how a relatively small biotech company worked. The research that they are doing was also very different from anything I had done before and offered me the opportunity to apply my immunology background in a very different scenario – with a more application-based outlook.
How did you go about finding and planning your PIPS?
I did quite a lot of searching for biotech companies around areas where I had friends and family so I could have a chance to live in a different location for 3 months. Through family and friends links I heard about CN-Bio and emailed them to introduce myself. I then had quite an informal phone conversation/interview to find out more about the company and talk about what a placement might look like. It kind of just went from there with just a few more emails to finalise details and agree dates (~6months from the initial phone call).
What have you gained from doing your PIPS?
I have really appreciated being able to talk to so many of the different employees from different areas of the company (CEO and management, engineers, marketing, production and R&D) to learn about all the different roles and how they have come to be working for CN-Bio. I have gained confidence in my communication skills, presenting to different audiences and collaborating with many different people. It has also been good, but quite challenging, to be starting a new project from almost nothing and doing a lot of the initial proof of concept work, set-up, background research and problem solving.
How would you sum up your PIPS experience?
It has been a really good chance to try a very different area of research with very different end goals and targets compared with my PhD. I have learnt a lot about the workings of a company and really appreciated the healthy work life balance they encouraged.
What advice would you give to other PGRs about PIPS?
Start looking early and be willing to try something out of your comfort zone/completely new. Use any connections that you may have from friends and family to help you find your placements. Talk to as many people as you can wherever you are and find out about their career path/what they do.
Niche Science and Technology Ltd have recently advertised some medical writing roles for new PhD graduates. See post on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6904758177192370176
They can also potentially take our students on PIPS placements. Have a look at their website:
If you are interested in exploring a PIPS opportunity with them, please contact our alumnus (2021 graduate), Ben Stevenson directly for an informal discussion, email: ben.stevenson@niche.org.uk
Every two years ABPI, as the trade association of the UK pharmaceutical industry, monitors the training interactions pharmaceutical companies have with UK universities. These include undergraduate placements, PhD studentships and postdoctoral fellowships.
Collaborations between industry and academic institutions will also be identified and highlighted as part of this project.
We are seeking a PIPS student to apply their scientific and project management experience in a policy context. The output of the project will be an interactive report for publication by ABPI and a slide set which can be used in presentations which highlight the contribution the pharmaceutical industry makes to the training of young people.
The project will be supervised by Andrew Croydon, Director of Skills & Education and Examinations, ABPI.
The project is ideally to be started around April-June 2022 but there could be some flexibility applied on discussion.
The ABPI office is based at 105 Victoria St, London SW1E 6QT, although we have been predominantly home working since early 2020 and have hosted a number of interns remotely over the past 2 years – exact method of working open to discussion depending on Government advice at the time.
This project will give the student an excellent overview of the biopharmaceutical sector and the interactions industry has with universities.
Contacts may be developed which could be helpful to someone considering a future career in industry.
Expenses will be refunded in line with ABPI standard expenses policy. Travel expenses for commuting into London (if applicable) will be paid.
For more detailed information on the project contact Andrew Croydon (acroydon@abpi.org.uk; 0207 747 1436)
A CV and letter of application should be sent by email to Andrew Croydon, Director of Skills & Education and Examinations, ABPI.
The closing date for applications is close of business on 31st March 2022.
Making improvements in life possible
QIAGEN Manchester Ltd
CityLabs 2.0
200 Hathersage Road
Manchester
M13 0BH
LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
QIAGEN is the leading global provider of Sample to Insight solutions to transform biological
materials into valuable molecular insights. QIAGEN sample technologies isolate and process DNA,
RNA and proteins from blood, tissue and other materials. Assay technologies make these
biomolecules visible and ready for analysis. Bioinformatics software and knowledge bases
interpret data to report relevant, actionable insights. Automation solutions tie these together in
seamless and cost-effective molecular testing workflows. QIAGEN provides these workflows to more than 500,000 customers around the world.
QIAGEN employ approximately 6,000 people in over 35 locations worldwide. Our mission is to make improvements in life possible by enabling our customers to achieve outstanding success
and breakthroughs in life sciences, applied testing, pharma and molecular diagnostics. Our
commitment to the markets, customers and patients we serve drives our innovation and investment in all areas where our Sample to Insight technologies are required. The exceptional talent, skill and passion of our employees are key to QIAGEN’s excellence, success and value.
In QIAGEN Manchester we focus on delivering solutions which facilitate personalised
healthcare. You will join a highly motivated team working on developing Molecular Diagnostic
PCR-based assays.
Duties that will be required:
Essential skills
Skills developed during placement
Number of Placements Offered: flexible
Possible Timeframe: Start dates are flexible between October 2022 to August 2023. The placement will last for a period of 3 months.
Submit your application to the following contacts at QIAGEN:
James Curran (James.Curran@qiagen.com) and Brandon Foster (Brandon.Foster@qiagen.com)
Please include the following in email subject: PhD placement – “your name”.
At Sense about Science, we have some new opportunities available for internships from summer 2022 with plenty of vacancies from September/October onwards going into 2023. Our internships are currently running on a hybrid basis, and we hope to move to in-person over the next few months. We will continuously review the situation in accordance with government advice across the UK.
Background on Sense about Science
Sense about Science is an independent charity that champions the public interest in sound science and ensures evidence is recognised in public life and policymaking. We equip people to ask the right questions, we equip researchers to answer them in human, and we work with both to advocate better standards of evidence in public life. We advocate openness and honesty about research findings, and strive to open up socially or scientifically difficult issues where evidence is neglected, conflicting or misunderstood.
Zinc.vc is proud to be launching a flagship Innovation Internship programme for PhD students. We are giving ambitious and motivated PhD students the opportunity to undertake a three-month internship embedding research principals, methods, and their disciplinary knowledge in early-stage start-ups. This is a unique opportunity to experience research-in-action. This experience/support package will ensure our student interns are guided through their transition from academia to industry and take a wealth of useful skills and lessons back to their PhDs. We are aware that undertaking an internship with a start-up is a less traditional route for PhD students, which is partially why we think this opportunity is so valuable.
Zinc Innovation Internships 2021-22
Zinc builds brand-new companies from scratch to develop products and services that respond to urgent societal challenges. We’re looking for ambitious PhD students from a range of academic backgrounds, who are passionate about one or more of our missions to: improve mental health; enhance the quality of later life; and unlock new life chances for people affected by automation and globalisation. We are particularly interested in recruiting students with an interest in our current mission focus on improving mental health for children and young people. PhD students should be in their second year (preferably) although early third year candidates will be considered too. They must also be Research Council-funded given the internships are unpaid.
You can read more about this opportunity here. Applications can be made here, with a closing date of Sunday 27th February (6pm). To apply, you’ll need a short CV and a 2-page (~800 word) cover letter explaining why you’re interested in working with us. Once you’ve submitted these, we’ll also ask you to submit a 2-minute video telling us a bit more about how an Innovation Internship with Zinc will support your longer-term career goals. Full details are on the application page, but if you need more information or want to chat to us before applying, please email salman@zinc.vc
Please note the start date for the internships will likely be early May and run until early August.
You might also find it useful to watch some or all of the recording here of an introduction to the Innovation Internships programme, which includes thoughts and reflections from two current PhD students who have recently worked with Zinc and our ventures.
Deadline for applications: midnight, Monday 21st February 2022
The Academy of Medical Sciences is welcoming applications for policy internships to take place in 2022/23.
Our policy internship scheme is designed to give PhD students first-hand experience of the medical science policy environment, to gain insights into how research can impact on policy, and to build valuable networks with the UK’s most eminent medical scientists and key science and health stakeholders.
Successful applicants will join the Academy’s close-knit and influential policy team for 12 weeks (three months) to contribute to a wide range of our activities. They will receive one-to-one line management, a tailored workplan and will gain valuable transferable skills for careers both within and outside academic research.
Applications will be welcomed from Wednesday 19 January 2022 and must be received by midnight on Monday 21 February 2022. Interviews will be conducted in the week commencing 28 February 2022.
Eligibility
The scheme is open to all UK-based PhD students (based in a university or institute), including clinicians undertaking a PhD as part of their Clinical Research Training.
In order to be eligible, interns must have access to either:
To apply, candidates are asked to supply the following, which must be submitted in pdf format:
Further details on the scheme and application are available on the Academy’s website and application forms can be found via this link. Please direct further questions to Dr Tom Livermore (tom.livermore@acmedsci.ac.uk).
Where did you go and what did you do?
Phase BioLabs at The University of Nottingham – working in the Biodiscovery Institute in Prof Nigel Minton’s large and extremely well-equipped synthetic biology lab. My PIPS supervisor and boss was David Ortega, an ex-PhD student of Nigel’s and the founder of a recent start-up called Phase BioLabs – https://www.phasebiolabs.com/
The featured photo at the top of this article is the view from the Biodiscovery Building at The University of Nottingham.
David wants to produce solvents, plastic precursors and other high-value commodities from anaerobic bacteria using waste CO2 and renewable hydrogen as the only two feedstock gases. If performed at scale, this technology could be carbon neutral and make use of vast quantities of waste CO2 from the fermentation industry.
I undertook a mixture of lab work and online research. The lab work was split between proof-of-concept work regarding the gas fermentation technology used by Phase Biolabs and engineering new systems into the organism to enhance the range of products the company could manufacture. The online work was mainly market research and research into lifecycle assessments and emissions data for new chemical products, as well as searching for EU funding calls for the company.
What made you want to do that particular placement?
David was the first to respond from five or so renewable or climate change-focused companies to which I enquired. His website was impressive, and his mission statement and his enthusiasm were encouraging, so I was happy to organise a meeting with him over Zoom. He introduced me to the field of anaerobic bacterial research and suggested some papers to read. The project sounded really interesting and there happened to be plenty of non-lab work to go alongside, enabling me to work remotely for the beginning and end of the placement.
How did you go about finding and planning your PIPS?
Keen to find a non-academic enterprise working in climate change or sustainability science, I spent three hours or so gathering information for companies in the UK that had an impressive mission statement. All it took then was several emails explaining my background and offering my help.
Once David was on board, the PIP was delayed due to the ongoing lockdowns. David and I were in frequent communication so finding a suitable three-month period was not too tricky.
What have you gained from doing your PIPS?
My time at Phase Biolabs was brilliant. I experienced a fleeting but illuminating insight into the world of anaerobic bacteria research and the synthetic biology involved in engineering metabolism, especially towards engineering the production of chemicals from microbes.
I now have a much better understanding of market research as a concept and a practice. Finding out about the market you are aiming to disrupt is far more difficult than I envisioned, with many summaries and reports behind steep paywalls, key figures and references hidden in gigantic reports and relevant organisations unwilling to talk freely over the phone.
From a peek into the world of commercial funding, I now also have a sliver of understanding about work that goes into sourcing money for a start-up like Phase Biolabs.
How would you sum up your PIPS experience?
A welcome break from my research field. Hard work, but rewarding, interesting and mentally refreshing.
Research and Membership Intern with the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC).
3 months, ideally from early February 2022 but applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
Download the job description for details:
Note about funding: This employer is based in London. The placement can be conducted part on-site and part remote-working. The DTP PIPS allowance is a maximum of £1,000, which in itself will not cover the full costs of a 3-month on-site placement. Please bear this in mind when negotiating your work plan. See the PIPS Funding page for more information:
https://www.whiterose-mechanisticbiology-dtp.ac.uk/pips-funding/
Alina Capatina, a third-year student at the University of York, completed her 3-month placement at Random42, a medical communications company situated in central London, specialised in producing 3D medical animations, documentary films, augmented and virtual reality as well as interactive experiences. The placement was completed remotely due to the COVID lockdown.
The featured image is a screenshot of Alina with her PIPS colleagues in an online team meeting.
What did you do?
During my placement I worked as part of the science team at Random42. I was sitting on client calls and taking notes regarding the scientific background of their desired animation, recording their visual and design preferences, as well as keeping track of their timeline and key deadlines. I was also in charge of doing the scientific research for several different projects and putting together scripts, which included both the narration of the animation and the scene directions.
Once the scripts were approved by the client, I would be in charge of designing a storyboard that would visually represent the content of the script, allowing the production team to understand the dynamics of the animation. This was particularly challenging, as scientific accuracy regarding not only the crystal structure of the proteins involved, but also their correct topology (e.g. for membrane proteins), was required.
Additionally, I also had the opportunity to record several voice-overs that would be added to the videos, until the animation was finalised, to help the production team synchronise the text and the visuals.
Overall, the placement allowed me to experiment with a variety of activities, each of them involving a different set of skills. I was thus able to become more flexible and self-confident and I learned to adapt very quickly, not only to different research topics, but also to different tasks, in order to complete my work as quickly and efficiently as possible.
What made you want to do that particular placement?
My current PhD project is entirely lab-based and during my undergraduate degree I completed several lab-based summer internships, in an academic context, as well as a 12-month industrial lab-based placement. Therefore, I do have experience with experimental work, and I love being in the lab, which is why I thought that I should take advantage of the PIPS opportunity in order to experience something that is still related to science but that is completely different from what I have been doing so far. I am also a relatively quiet, introverted, and creative person that does not enjoy the spotlight that much, but prefers working behind the scenes. So, I thought I would look for a placement that would allow me to employ and develop my non-lab related skills.
When I discovered Random42, I instantly knew it was the right opportunity for me, it was a chance for me to be creative, play with images and put together stories, while learning more about different scientific topics. I saw a chance to use my scientific background to make information more accessible to the general public in a fun way. The work I have been doing at Random42 taught me to always question (‘What is the final purpose of my research?’, ‘How is it going to impact people?’), as well as reminding me that I should not get caught up in little details, but always try to detach myself and see the bigger picture. It was an extremely valuable experience both on a personal and a professional level.
How did you go about finding and planning your PIPS?
For me, the process of finding my placement was very short and straightforward. I started by looking at the list of places where other WR DTP students have completed their PIPs in previous years, and that is where I found Random42. I spent a few good hours reading about their work on their website, had a look at some of their videos, I even watched a documentary that they contributed to, and I really liked their work. So, I sent an email to them with my CV, expressing my interest in their company. On the same day I got a reply saying that they would be very happy to have me. Just before completing all the paperwork, I also got in touch with the student who completed her PIPS with this company the year before, and she had very good feedback about the work and the people working there. That gave me a lot of confidence about the company, so I decided to go through with the paperwork and in the end it all turned out very well.
What have you gained from doing your PIPS?
I really enjoyed my PIPS, mostly for the fact that it allowed me to experiment with a variety of activities that are very different from my daily lab work. I think one of the most important things that I gained from this placement was more self-confidence. In this placement I was put in a completely new environment with completely new tasks and I had to learn and adapt very quickly, and complete all my work according to specific deadlines, which would often change throughout the day. It was a type of work that required a lot of flexibility and plasticity as well as teamwork and good communication with supervisors and co-workers. The fact that I managed to face this challenge in a way that made my supervisors very happy, and the fact that I felt valued and appreciated for my work, gave me great confidence in my skills and knowledge, and I became more open-minded and braver in terms of my aspirations regarding future career choices.
How would you sum up your PIPS experience?
One known fact about our memory is that we tend to forget actions and facts, but we always remember how something, or someone, made us feel. Therefore, if I was to sum up my placement experience in a way that is meaningful to me, I would say: exciting, creative, empowering, and eye-opening.
What advice would you give to other PGRs about PIPS?
I think it is very important to make the most out of every opportunity we have. I m very happy working in the lab right now, but that might change in the future, and I wanted to use this PIPS opportunity to research what else it is out there that I could happily do. I think the best advice would be to try and use the PIPS as a chance to learn more about yourselves, see what else you like, get out of your comfort zone, and just try something different. It is an amazing opportunity to experience because you have nothing to lose, but you might just gain a lot more than you think.
Editor’s Note: You can find information on how to apply to do your PIPS with Random42 here.