RiSE Internship - Translatable In Vitro Drug Discovery for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) (12 months)

At Roche you can show up as yourself, embraced for the unique qualities you bring. Our culture encourages personal expression, open dialogue, and genuine connections,  where you are valued, accepted and respected for who you are, allowing you to thrive both personally and professionally. This is how we aim to prevent, stop and cure diseases and ensure everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Join Roche, where every voice matters.

The Position

The RiSE program (Roche Internships for Scientific Exchange) is a highly competitive student research program at Roche. It offers the most talented graduate and medical degree students the opportunity to be fully integrated into our interdisciplinary and international industry R&D environment. As a RiSE student, you will enhance your competencies, gain valuable work experience with us, and eventually become part of a worldwide network of RiSE Alumni.

The Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area (NRD DTA) is developing medicines for a range of serious neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, autism, spinal muscular atrophy, and Huntington’s disease.

As a RiSE student in the NRD DTA you will join our group in the Neuromuscular Disorders (NMD) lab group, situated within the Neurotechnologies Section at the Roche Innovation Center Basel, Switzerland. Our multidisciplinary team brings together expertise in neuromuscular biology, vectorized genomic medicine, genetic engineering, and complex 3D models.

The Opportunity

In your role as a RiSE student, you will have the opportunity to:

• Tissue culture and maintenance of 2D models (e.g. HEK-blue cells, immortalized and hiPSC-derived myoblasts, etc.), 3D neuromuscular junction organoids, and engineered human muscle tissues

• Actively plan, design, perform, and analyze pharmacological assays of interest (e.g. small molecule treatments, reporter expression, cellular bioenergetics with Agilent’s Seahorse system, 3D twitch/tetanic force assessments with CuriBio’s Mantarray setup, live imaging and contractility recordings of 3D organoids, etc.)

• Work closely within a team composed of 3-4 scientists, research associates, other students, and coordinate with internal core facilities (e.g. imaging) and cross-functional teams (e.g. neurogenomics and muscle metabolism groups)

• Maintain a detailed electronic lab notebook (ELN) and data records

• Present research findings at internal meetings

• Summarize work and draft a scientific manuscript

• You will be hosted and mentored by Roche scientists who will provide comprehensive guidance.

Who You Are

• You graduated from a Master's program within the last year or you are enrolled in a PhD or medical degree program at a university and you bring demonstrable experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Culturing complex cell models and/or organoids (e.g. patient-derived cells, human iPSCs, etc.)

• In vitro electrophysiology (e.g. in vitro force measurements using CuriBio’s Mantarray equipment)

• In vitro live cell techniques/assays (e.g. Agilent Seahorse platform, fluorescence microscopy, calcium indicators, contractility, etc.)

• Familiarity with advanced image analysis software (e.g., Harmony, FIJI/ImageJ, MuscleMotion, Pulse functional metrics, or similar)

• Basic molecular biology techniques (e.g. secreted reporter activity, qPCR/dPCR, WB, immunofluorescence, DNA/RNA/protein isolation)

• Proficiency in statistical software (e.g. R, R and/or GraphPad) for analyzing biological data sets, including dose-response curves and electrophysiology output

• A strong interest in expanding your muscle biology skills, particularly using small molecule-based technologies in 2D and 3D model systems. 

Additional Information

The internship can start between August 2026 and October 2026 – please clearly indicate your preferred starting date in your motivation letter. 

Application Process

Applications need to include a CV and a cover letter, as well as a letter from your current or former academic supervisor supporting your application to the RiSE Program. 

Please note that due to regulations non-EU/EFTA citizens have to be enrolled in a PhD or medical degree program at a university and provide a certificate from the university stating that an industry internship is mandatory as part of the university training.

Curious, motivated, and ready to learn? Apply now for our RiSE Internship.

Who we are

A healthier future drives us to innovate. Together, more than 100’000 employees across the globe are dedicated to advance science, ensuring everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Our efforts result in more than 26 million people treated with our medicines and over 30 billion tests conducted using our Diagnostics products. We empower each other to explore new possibilities, foster creativity, and keep our ambitions high, so we can deliver life-changing healthcare solutions that make a global impact.

Let’s build a healthier future, together.

Roche is an Equal Opportunity Employer.