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Our eight-week Undergraduate Summer Research Programme aims to inspire bright and ambitious undergraduates to start their careers in cancer research.

The programme provides immersive hands-on research experience, with students able to work on their own research project in one of our world-leading research groups.

This opportunity is offered to students who are interested in pursuing PhD study after completing their current degree.

Each student will be embedded in one of our multidisciplinary research groups to work on their own project, with access to our state-of-the-art Core Facilities.

We offer a variety of projects each year, which can range from basic experimental and computational cancer biology through translational cancer research to clinical application.

Students work under the supervision of a postdoctoral or PhD researcher and participate in lab meetings. You will have the opportunity to network with Group Leaders at weekly lunchtime seminars and at the end of your study period, you will have the opportunity to write a brief scientific report on your research project and present your findings at the Summer School Symposium. 

Accommodation and funding

This year’s Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute (CRUK CI) Undergraduate Summer Research Programme will be held from 8 July to 31 August 2024.

We expect Undergraduate Summer Research Programme students to attend all eight weeks of the programme, so please check that you are available for the duration of the programme.

All CRUK CI Summer Students will receive a stipend of £175 per week to cover living expenses, with accommodation provided at Corpus Christi College . You will also be able to claim up to £250 for your travel to and from Cambridge.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• You must be a registered student at a recognised Higher Education institute, studying on a degree course. –
• You should be engaged in a continuous period of study at the time of the Summer School (July-August 2024); for example, in year two of a three-year undergraduate course, year three of a four-year undergraduate course, or year three of an integrated Master’s course (excluding pre-Master’s), or the equivalent for international students.  

Note:  This course is particularly suitable for students who are interested in progressing to a PhD in a related subject. We welcome applications from students intending to apply for PhD study commencing in the academic year 2025-26.

Projects available

1. Hannon Group – Characterising mitochondrial piRNA biogenesis factors in  Drosophila melanogaster

2. Hannon Group – Learning how to learn: exploring sequence-based deep learning models for genomics

3.  Brenton Group – Functional characterisation of drug mechanism of action for therapeutic repurposing in high-grade serous ovarian cancer

4. Brenton Group – Long read native molecule sequencing to identify defects in homologous recombination repair pathway genes in ovarian cancer

5. Narita Group – Exploring nuclear lamina dynamics in senescence and associated phenotypes

6. Uganda Cancer Institute Project: Rosenfeld Group – Using dried blood spots to detect circulating tumour DNA in resource-limited settings

7. Uganda Cancer Institute Project: Narita Group – Pathways to analysis – learning to mine immune cell RNAseq data (We are looking for a budding immunologist with a desire to learn bioinformatics for this project)

8. Black in Cancer Project: Halim Group – Visualising tissue-resident innate immunity in cancer

Students applying through the Uganda Cancer Institute or Black in Cancer partnerships should see the information below.

To apply you will need to upload PDF versions of the following:

• Your CV (maximum two sides of A4)
• A covering letter (<400 words).  This should include why you have applied to participate in the summer programme, what you hope to gain from the programme, why you should be selected to attend and also outline your career aims.
• A list of courses – Courses   you have completed, or are currently studying, at university and if possible, the marks/grades you obtained.
• Your university transcript – official notification of marks obtained.
• A confirmation of student status letter from your university giving the start and end dates of your course.

Applications for the 2024 programme closed on 30 April.

Partnerships

In partnership with Cambridge Africa , we’ve teamed up with the Uganda Cancer Institute to support them in their mission to provide state-of-the-art cancer care and prevention. Each year, two places on our Undergraduate Summer Research Programme are reserved for students from the UCI and the eastern Africa region. Along with free accommodation and stipend, all Ugandan students will be provided with transport to and from Cambridge. This collaboration should lead to shared learnings for both parties and high-quality training for the African cancer research community. Applications from current Masters’ students are welcome via this route.

Applications for the Uganda Cancer Institute partnership closed on 25 April 2024 17.00 (EAT).

We have partnered with Black in Cancer to offer two summer research places to UK undergraduate students on the Black in Cancer mentorship scheme. Mentees are matched with a mentor from academia or industry currently contributing to the fight against cancer, for career mentoring. Mentees in the scheme will receive training outside of the mentorship including coaching events and presentation training. 

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UCL Cancer Institute

Vacancies and opportunities

Current opportunities within the Cancer Institute, including staff positions, funded PhD research projects, work experience and internships.

Vacancies at UCL

Search for jobs

Funded Clinical Fellowships and PhD Studentships

Please see our Postgraduate Research section for further information 

Six-month internship

A six-month part-time (3 days a week) paid internship is available in the Tumour Immunodynamics Group at the Cancer Institute led by Dr James Reading.

The Candidate should have a BSc in a relevant topic and bioinformatics and statistical experience in analysis of large, primary flow cytometry and genome/exome sequencing data sets from human viral infection and cancer immunology cohorts. A Master's degree, or evidence of an award at this level pending, is highly desirable.

The successful candidate will work within a highly collaborative team in a vibrant research environment at the UCL Cancer Institute, performing dry and limited wet lab analysis to examine mechanisms of immune failure in solid tumours and chronic viral infections.

The rate of pay will be £10.85 per hour .

Apply for the internship by sending a CV and supporting statement to Dr James Reading .

Closing date:  23 September 2021.

Work experience 

Work experience (16-18 year students) If you are interested in a work experience placement here at the Cancer Institute, the first step is to have a look at the Research Groups, listed within the five Institute Research Departments . Then, if there are any specialisms that you are interested in, the best thing to do initially is contact the Principal Investigator (or Research Group contact listed) for that group and explain why you would like to have a placement within their lab. If a placement position is possible, then a Research Group member will contact our Workplace Coordinator (Sonia Buckingham) to get the process underway. 

Please note that Research Groups always try and help with requests if they can but sometimes placements may not always be possible due to lab space and available supervision, especially at busy times of the year, for example, over the summer, when the Institute’s undergraduate and MSc Cancer students are completing their dissertation projects.

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Manuela Rossini , Cancer Institute HR Manager, [email protected]

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Cancer Research UK Internship Scheme

Are you looking for an exciting internship opportunity at one of the UK’s biggest brands?

Why we need you

Cancer Research UK is the world’s largest charity dedicated to beating all types of cancer. We now have multiple brilliant opportunities for you to join us as an intern!

What will I be doing?

We have opportunities available in the following areas;

• Policy and Research
• Marketing & Comms
• Fundraising & Events
• Retail Operations
• Public Affairs
• Commercial Partnerships
• Biosciences

You can read about each specific role in more detail including the individual role requirements and responsibilities on our jobs board.  If you search for ‘internship’ in the search bar on the jobs board page, you should be able to easily find all our available internships.

What will I gain?

This role will add real value to Cancer Research UK so we want to ensure you’re getting a lot out of it too. As an intern you’ll go through a structured development programme with skills training in project management, CV writing and interview skills and you’ll have a buddy to help you settle in. You’ll be eligible for many of our benefits, including paid holiday, and you’ll gain key experience to help you launch your career.

Every day we achieve exceptional things by being sharp, brave and united in our approach. If you think you can help us beat cancer sooner, apply right now!

How do I apply?

Please apply online by uploading your details and answering a couple of application questions. We’d also like a CV to show your education history and any work experience, however this will only be used at the interview stage.

Please complete an application form for only one of the streams.

Application Process:

Stage 1: Online application 

Complete an online application form – you’ll be asked to answer a motivational competency question and upload your CV. 

In our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, we operate an anonymised shortlisting process. Please therefore ensure you fill out all of the required fields as well as uploading a CV, as they will be collected for use later in the process.

If you experience any problems submitting an application, please email [email protected] 

Stage 2: Assessment – Shortly after the closing date 

If your initial application is successful you will then be invited to complete our new situational judgment test. The test poses real life scenarios that a CRUK intern might be met with in their day to day role and asks how you would tackle that scenario. This is un-timed and multiple choice. Please let us know if you think you might require adjustments for this assessment.

Stage 3: Audio Submission – Approximately w/c 18th April 

If you are successful in the previous stage, you will be asked to complete an audio submission, answering competency-based questions. The questions will be emailed to you and you will have a few days to submit a response via an audio recording (no video required). 

Stage 4: Interviews - Approximately 16th to 31st May

If you are successful in the previous stage, you will then be invited to a face-to-face interview at our head office or online via Teams, with representatives from the team you are applying to. 

Placement Offers – After interview

Additional information

• Full-time annual salary : £11.56 per hour if London based (£21,039.20 full time yearly equivalent). £9.50 per hour if Home based (£17,290 full time yearly equivalent).
• Contract Length: 12 weeks (4th July 2022 – 30th September 2022)
• Hours: 7 hours per day, 4-5 days per week
• Interview dates: Approximately May

At CRUK we value diversity and we’re committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone is able to be themselves and to reach their full potential. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures and believe that a diverse workforce will help us to beat cancer sooner.

Our pioneering research delivers the breakthroughs which prevent, control and cure cancer. Our ground-breaking work into preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer has helped to save millions of lives. In the 1970s, only a quarter of people survived cancer. Today half do. This is good progress, but it isn’t enough. Looking to the future, we don’t just want to contribute to further progress, we want to accelerate it. We want to see three quarters of people beat cancer in the next 20 years.

Our research to beat cancer is entirely funded by the public. Thanks to their generosity our scientists, doctors and nurses are leading the world in discovering new ways to fight cancer. Research saves lives and our work is critical to ensuring more people beat this devastating disease. We work in partnership with others to achieve the greatest impact in the global fight against cancer. We provide life-changing information to anyone affected by cancer. We run awareness initiatives so that cancer can be detected early and help people reduce their risk of the disease, and our campaigning and lobbying keeps cancer at the top of the political agenda.

Every step we take towards accomplishing this ambition relies on every hour and every person. We want you to be part of the journey that will bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

Related Jobs

Bettering the employee experience at Cancer Research UK

Expert help to measure employee experience with an agile listening strategy.

Revealing key signal areas from surveys and offering expert guidance on actions.

Challenge: Working with their people to achieve their mission

For CRUK, its people plan centres on sustainability – of finding optimal ways of working as part of a sustainable operating model and being recognised as a great place to work. The organisation’s aim is to create an environment where people feel they belong, where they can connect to the mission, develop skills and fulfil career aspirations. And listening to its employees – via an engagement survey – is key to being able to gauge how its performing against these aims.

Rebecca Minter, Director of Talent and Experience at CRUK, said:

“At Cancer Research UK, we want to accelerate progress and seeing 3 in 4 people surviving their cancer by 2034. Our employees are key to making that a reality, so listening to our people and understanding what they need in order to do their jobs well is essential. We’re also committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture for all our people, and we couldn’t do that without vital insights and feedback.”

Solution: Creating an agile listening strategy

ETS first started working with CRUK running employee surveys from 2018 but, as with so many organisations, people plans had to be radically adjusted when the pandemic arrived.

With shops closed, large numbers of employees furloughed and a significant loss of fundraising income, CRUK decided to pivot swiftly to using more regular pulse check surveys with a much narrower focus. The question sets focused solely on areas such as wellbeing, job security and remote working. This turbulent period also meant a number of L&D initiatives and policy development needed had to be paused.

Following some restructuring CRUK returned to a ‘full census’ survey in 2022. With the revised listening strategy to incorporate a more agile approach that supplemented a full survey with periodic pulses, ETS worked closely with CRUK’s employee experience team to arrive at the right questions. The 2022 full survey exercise encompassed a revised design that was based on three key elements – engagement, enablement and empowerment.

Steven Arbuckle, Head of Diagnostics at ETS:

“CRUK recognised the land shift and wanted to ensure their survey would be action-focused, so the wording of questions was really important and something collectively we spent a lot of time on. Enablement was an area they were particularly keen to get a deep understanding of, amid changing working practices and employee expectations.”

A further addition to the re-launched survey programme was some demographic data capture, giving CRUK an unprecedented clarity over how different groups of people experience working there. This was particularly valuable given that equality, diversity & inclusion is such a major focus for CRUK.

What’s great about ETS is their commitment to working in close collaboration, attending stakeholder sessions and bringing in that crucial external perspective. Their ability to demonstrate what ‘good’ looks like with benchmarks and anecdotal evidence, and to guide us on the statistically key areas for us to focus on continues to be invaluable.

Rebecca Minter, Director of Talent and Experience

Survey outcomes.

The most recent survey in 2022 and subsequent key driver analysis carried out by ETS revealed three ‘signal’ areas of focus for CRUK – enablement, reward and career aspirations. The ETS and CRUK teams worked closely on the playback of key findings and delivery of recommendations to the executive board.

In addition to this organisation-wide review of results, ETS supported directors with one-to-one sessions to analyse their own results and identify any different or additional areas to prioritise for action.

Meanwhile, at a local level, line managers could access the interactive dashboard to understand results for their team, while being encouraged to focus on three manager questions and take action, where needed, to address the scores.

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We work in partnership with local schools and academies to promote our research and to outline potential careers in cancer research. Our academic and research staff regularly visit schools to deliver talks and hands-on workshops that demonstrate laboratory skills and techniques.

We offer a range of opportunities for potential researchers of the future to gain experience of conducting research in an internationally leading centre.

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Our technical staff organise 2-3, week long events for Year 12-13 students that introduce career opportunities available as research technicians and incorporate demonstrations of a range of research techniques in varied laboratory environments.

Pre-University summer placements

Several of our research groups host individual Year 12 students for 1-3 months laboratory placements. We also host students who have secured bursaries through the Nuffield Future Researchers scheme.

Undergraduate summer placements

Laboratory placements are available for Newcastle-based second year undergraduate science and medical students. Small bursaries to support these placements may be available from the University , Wellcome Trust , Biochemical Society ,  Pathological Society and other charitable organisations.

Who to contact?

If you would like to know more about our placements and internships, please email us.

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Research Roundup

What is work experience like in a childhood cancer research lab with tabitha fuller.

You hear a lot on this blog from experts who have been researching childhood cancer for decades. But how did their careers start, and what is it like for someone looking at research as a potential career?

Last week I caught up with Tabitha Fuller, who is currently deciding what to study at university. Tabitha had the opportunity to do a week’s work experience on a childhood leukaemia research project that was funded in memory of her sister, Ruby, through the Ruby’s ‘Live Kindly, Live Loudly’ Fund Special Named Fund at CCLG. Here’s what she learned…

Could you first introduce yourself?

Hi, I am Tabitha! I’m 17 years old, so about to go into Year 13, and I'm doing the International Baccalaureate at the moment. In June, I did a week of work experience at a lab that is working on a CCLG-funded childhood cancer research project.

Why did you want to do work experience in a cancer research lab? 

I'm really interested in cancer research. This year I’m applying to university, possibly for biomedical sciences, medicine, or another course like biosciences. So, I really wanted to get an idea of the actual day to day lives of people working in those industries.

It was just a great opportunity to get an insight into how research works and what you can do going into this industry.

Can you tell me a little bit about the work experience? 

I was at Newcastle University in the childhood cancer research department in Dr Lisa Russell’s lab group. There were a few different researchers, and I was mostly shadowing them. I got to see what they were doing and what their research involved, which was fascinating.

The lab team are looking at genetic mutations which they think cause certain types of childhood blood cancers.  One of the things they’re working on is an area of DNA called a ‘super enhancer’ which they think affects lots of different parts of the genetic code, so they are trying to understand how it impacts the development of childhood cancer. 

I was working with Phoebe Snow, one of the research assistants, who's about to start her PhD, and also Leti Marchetti,  who is a molecular biologist. I was mostly shadowing them and looking at them and seeing the lab processes that they do. There were a lot of different things, like how to get drugs into the cancer cells or to grow cells, how to extract DNA and other genetic material from cells, the best way to grow cultures to extract DNA and RNA, and how to check for contamination. They also showed me the bioinformatics, which is basically the processing of the data to form conclusions and make graphs to present the research.  

What was it like having the opportunity to work on a Ruby's Live Kindly Live Loudly funded project?

It was really lovely, because for me, the science is always a way that I can connect and interact with it - the best way for me. So that was just really nice because I've seen all the fundraising that my parents and I have been a part of. It was so interesting to see where that fundraising is going and what they're doing with it – and how all of the researchers are so fantastic.

I remember seeing some of your fundraising, when you went to every tube station in one day – as a non-Londoner it sounds terrifying!

Oh yes that was me and my mum, Emma. We couldn’t believe that it worked! It was the craziest thing, but we actually did it. 

There was a lot of going to the end of the line and having to run to the next line. There would be points in the day where we’d hear that a line was temporarily shut down, but then we’d get there and it would be working again. We went to 272 stations that day, starting at 4am and finishing at midnight. 

That’s amazing! To have done all that and then be able to see day-to-day where your fundraising has gone sounds really rewarding. What was a day like at Lisa’s lab?

I'd usually get there around 9am, and then I'd go down to the lab, where Leti or Phoebe  would be. Then, there'd normally be a team meeting, where the team would show each other what they'd been doing, how they'd been getting on with the research, if they had any conclusions, and they'd discuss any conferences they wanted to attend. In the afternoons, it would usually be finishing whatever tasks had been set processing in the morning, getting the data from that and analysing it.

What was your favourite part of the work experience?

There wasn't really a specific part, but my favourite thing was that the people I met were all so lovely!

In terms of the actual lab stuff, there was one point where I got to do a successful RNA extraction with Leti - I tried to do it earlier in the week with Phoebe but it hadn't worked because the sample had been contaminated somewhere. 

It’s frustrating - you're working with clear liquids for hours or sometimes even weeks and months and then it doesn't work, and you don't know where it went wrong.  But when we did it again it did work which was pretty rewarding.

Well done! I can imagine that is frustrating though, when things don’t work. Was that your least favourite thing about working in research?

I think my least favourite thing is that there's a lot of setbacks and you just have to keep trying. When you have a project that you know is going to take a really long time, and you don't even know if it's going to work or then what that’s going to mean - it's a lot of tiny incremental progress. 

Researchers do have to be very patient. What else did you learn about research as a career?

Overall, I just got a better sense of what it can be like.

I got to see them working on research papers, which was fascinating. I have to do this project for school that's called an extended essay. I'm doing mine in biology and it needs to be about 4,000 words long. You even have to include citations - it's meant to be like a proper paper. So, I've been reading a lot of research papers recently for this essay, and they are hard to understand! So, seeing how those papers are actually written and how the researchers work together on them was really cool.

It was also really encouraging to meet Phoebe, who's about to start her PhD. She is 23 and finished her master's about a year ago. Obviously, that's a lot of years at university but it's not like you have to have decades of experience to actually work in a lab. It really made it seem way more possible.

Time for the big question… has this helped you make any decisions about your future career?

It has definitely given me a lot of food for thought! Right now, I'm studying for the UCAT, which is the exam you do if you want to study medicine. I'm going to apply for medicine this year, and if I don't get any offers, I think I'll take a gap year and rethink. I might reapply for medicine or do biomedical sciences, which would give me the option to change into medicine or go into research. 

It’s quite an unusual work experience – what did your friends think about it?

Most of them thought it was pretty cool. I think my friends who aren't into STEM were like, why would you want to do that?

But then I have a friend who wants to go into biology and she thought it was really cool and was happy to hear about how lovely everyone is. She was quite concerned about work life balance, so it was reassuring that the people I worked with did have a work life balance.

Would you recommend this type of work experience to other people curious about research?

Definitely.  It was so interesting getting to seethe lab techniques you learn about in school for biology, like gel electrophoresis to separate DNA. Obviously, you never get to see that in school because schools don’t have that equipment, and then I got to see them doing it in real life.

It was so great - getting to actually see that what you are learning is real. I would definitely recommend it! 

You can find out more about Lisa’s project here , or support Ruby’s ‘Live Kindly, Live Loudly’ Fund here .

Ellie Wilkinson is CCLG’s Research Communication Executive.

She is using her lifelong fascination with science to share the world of childhood cancer research with CCLG’s fantastic supporters.

You can find Ellie on Twitter:  @EllieW_CCLG

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Together we are beating cancer

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You are here

Search for a role near you

Apply online or call your local shop for more information.  

Where can I volunteer?

We have over 500 shops across the UK, so you’re bound to have a store nearby that needs your help to run smoothly. Why not pop into your local shop or fill in our online form to show your interest?

Try something new and support vital life-saving research

1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime. But we can all support the research that will beat it. Every shirt you steam, book you sell, hour you donate, or shopper you serve – we all have a part to play. Together we will beat cancer.

Reasons why you should volunteer with us

Be a part of your community, make new friends and join a fantastic team.

Volunteering is easy and flexible and can be designed to fit around your personal and work commitments.

Grow your confidence - our friendly CRUK team will be there to support you all the way.

Reduce isolation and improve overall wellbeing.

By volunteering, you’re helping people affected by cancer.

Build on existing or gain new skills . 

Volunteering can also sometimes lead on to paid work in retail, customer service or other sectors.

Your Volunteering Journey

Complete the application form online or pop into your local store !

We'll be in touch

Once we have your application, we will be in touch to book you in for a taster session. 

Meet the team

You will meet the shop manager and other volunteers who'll be able to answer any questions you may have.

Get a taste of the action

The taster session takes between 30 minutes to an hour, making it easy to fit into your diary.

You will meet the shop manager and other amazing volunteers, all like-minded individuals supporting the same cause.

You will learn more about the shop volunteer role, what to expect on a 'normal' day.

Chat about your availability and what to expect so it feels right for you, please let the shop team know how we can accommodate you!

Find out how shops support local communities and are a vital part of being able to reach our goal - together we will beat cancer!

How you'll spend your time with us

Volunteering in our shops is varied, exciting and rewarding. No two days are the same and you have the chance to flex different skills regularly. 

Below is a flavour of some of the tasks you may help with in our shops: 

Talking to our customers and making them feel welcome.

Rotating stock, sorting, steaming and tagging donations.

Serving at the till to process those all-important sales of clothing and accessories.

Housekeeping and tidying window displays to keep the shop looking it's best.

You need to be 18 or over to register to volunteer online

If you are aged between 16 and 17 you may still be able to volunteer in our shops but you must be on a recognised scheme, for example the Duke of Edinburgh. All you need to do is pop into your local store and speak to the shop manager. 

If you’re not part of a scheme, you can still support us by volunteering at an event or by setting up your own fundraising project. All our opportunities will give you the chance to learn plenty of new skills.

Hear from Leslie

Enfield Shop Volunteer

“My fellow volunteers supported my impairment and knew that I needed to be facing them when they were talking to me. To alert me of an emergency, they would flash lights as I wasn’t able to hear the fire alarm. They really made me feel included in all aspects of the shop.”

Hear from Paul

Blackheath Shop Volunteer

“I started volunteering because I wanted to keep busy, but also to help support a charity who continue to change the lives of so many. My day-to-day activities include serving at the till, sorting through donations and signing customers up to gift aid, to name a few!”

We're here to help

If you have further questions or would like to speak to the team contact us on  [email protected]  or call our Supporter Services team on  0300 1231022 .

Our opening hours are  8am – 6pm , Monday – Friday