Thesis Work, 45/60 Credits - Investigating Novel Regulators of Adipocyte and Liver Biology in Obesity and Metabolic Disease

Are you passionate about understanding adipose tissue biology and advancing new treatments for obesity and cardiometabolic diseases?

Join AstraZeneca for a master's thesis project focused on understanding how novel biological pathways regulate adipocyte function, energy expenditure, and metabolic health. You will investigate emerging metabolic targets with the potential to improve adipose tissue function, enhance energy utilization, and promote healthier metabolic outcomes.

About AstraZeneca:

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-centred biopharmaceutical company focusing on discovering, developing, and commercialising 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:

Obesity and associated metabolic disorders remain among the largest healthcare challenges worldwide. Adipose tissue is increasingly recognized as a critical regulator of whole-body metabolism, not only through energy storage but also through its role in controlling energy expenditure, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and inter-organ communication. Improving adipocyte health and promoting beneficial metabolic adaptations represent promising therapeutic strategies for treating obesity and its related complications.

In this master's thesis project, you will investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which novel metabolic regulators influence adipocyte biology and thermogenic programs. The work will focus on understanding how these pathways affect metabolic signalling, mitochondrial function, energy expenditure, and cellular responses associated with improved metabolic health.

You will gain hands-on experience with a variety of molecular and cellular biology techniques, including mammalian cell culture, gene and protein expression analyses, immunostaining, high-content imaging, and functional assays, while investigating the biological mechanisms that regulate mitochondrial function and adipocyte physiology. The project may also involve transcriptomic, proteomic, and other systems-level analyses to provide broader mechanistic understanding.

Throughout the project, you will learn how to design and execute experiments, analyze complex biological datasets, and interpret findings in the context of metabolic disease biology and drug discovery. You will gain insight into how fundamental biological discoveries are translated into potential therapeutic opportunities.

What You Will Gain

• Hands-on experience with adipocyte biology and metabolic research
• Training in molecular and cellular biology techniques
• Experience with mitochondrial function and bioenergetics assays
• Exposure to advanced imaging and data analysis approaches
• Understanding of translational research and early drug discovery
• Opportunities to present your work to multidisciplinary scientific teams
• Experience working in a collaborative industrial research environment

About the Team

You will be joining AstraZeneca's Bioscience Metabolism team within the Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM) research area. Our scientists combine genetics, molecular biology, cellular models, and translational research approaches to identify and validate novel pathways that can improve metabolic health. We are passionate about advancing the understanding of adipose tissue biology and translating scientific discoveries into transformative medicines for patients living with metabolic diseases.

Placering:  

This is an on-site position at AstraZeneca Gothenburg.

AstraZeneca does not support with accommodations for this role

Structure:

· Duration:  Spring 2027

· Credits: 45/60

Essential Requirements:

• Enrolled in a Swedish university
• Enrolled in a master’s program Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biotechnology, Biomedicine, Pharmacology, or a related Life Sciences field
• Experience with mammalian cell culture
• Hands-on experience in qPCR, Western blotting, ELISA, and histology
• Ability to work independently and analyze experimental data
• Seahorse assay experience is considered a strong advantage
• Interest in adipocyte biology, metabolism, and thermogenesis

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 October 06, 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

15-sep.-2026

Closing Date

06-okt.-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.