Boxmeer, Netherlands
Internship Explorer
Internship Explorer
We are looking for a motivated Bachelor of Science (BSc) or a Master of Science (MSc) student with a background in Cell Biology, Virology or Biochemistry! Do you want to know what it's like to be part of one of the largest multinational companies in the pharmaceutical industry? We offer an internship opportunity within our Discovery & Technology department where you will have the freedom and space for your own initiative. Welcome to our team The Department of Discovery and Technology, part of the Global Research & Development (R&D) group of Animal Health, is an essential hub in our organization. This department is focused on (1) novel technologies for isolation, characterization and culturing of newly discovered pathogens that infect animals and possibly humans (zoonoses), (2) novel approaches to efficacious vaccine development against existing and newly discovered pathogens and (3) development of new technologies to culture pathogens for vaccine production. The team consists of about 25 employees, all of whom have extensive knowledge and experience in different disciplines, including (Molecular) Virology, Immunology, Chemistry, Assay Development, Molecular genetics, Bacteriology and Cell Biology. The team works closely with other departments within the company to achieve the stated goals. Your internship assignment As an intern, you will work on a project focused on improving a cell line for viral antigen production. This project aims to combine knowledge on the viral antigen and susceptible cell lines to create an in vitro cell substrate that enables virus propagation with high antigen yields in large-scale manufacturing settings. You will combine molecular techniques with pilot scale cell culturing technology to achieve this. You will learn about the biology of both the host cells and the virus that infects the cells. You will spend at least 70–80% of your time at the bench executing experiments. Some protocols are provided, some need to be set up; your focus is high-quality execution, troubleshooting, and documentation. Your responsibilities * After onboarding and refinement of the internship objectives, you will work with a high degree of independence. * You will perform the experiments from start to finish, with focus on viral antigen-cell substrate optimization. * You will have access to a wide range of molecular biology and cell biology tools, including pilot scale cell culture. * You will discuss progress on a weekly basis and give a final presentation to the department at the end of the internship. * You will contribute to the department by providing a fresh perspective and sharing your opinion. Your perspective is valued! The described tasks form the basic package and will often be performed independently after a proper training and learning period. These tasks may be supplemented with other projects and/or tasks on your own initiative or at the request of the organization.
