Master Thesis Project: Protein Production

Complex therapeutic antibody formats place increasing demands on reliable and efficient protein production. This thesis at BioArctic aims to establish a robust, scalable workflow for transient transfection of CHO cells, spanning multi-well screening cultures to production volumes of 2–5 L.

The assignment

• Refine transient CHO cell transfection conditions to improve antibody expression.
• Produce standard IgG antibodies and more complex formats, including multispecific antibodies.
• Transfer the process from multi-well plates to culture volumes of up to 2–5 L and assess expression levels and reproducibility.
• Purify antibodies using Protein A and characterize their purity and assembly.
• Document and evaluate the resulting workflow.
• Depending on the project scope and duration, explore Design of Experiments approaches and optimize antibody chain ratios.

Who we are looking for

• Master’s student in biotechnology, molecular biotechnology, biochemistry, biomedicine, chemical engineering, bioprocessing, protein or antibody engineering, or a related life-science field.
• Strong interest in protein science, biotechnology and biopharmaceutical research.
• Previous laboratory experience is highly valued; experience in mammalian cell culture, recombinant protein expression, purification or characterization is beneficial but not essential.
• Curious and keen to learn, with a responsible, structured approach to experiments and documentation.
• Enjoys experimental problem-solving and interpreting results, both independently and in collaboration with scientists.

What we offer

• Practical experience in an industrial research setting focused on antibody discovery and biopharmaceutical development.
• Close collaboration with scientists specializing in protein expression, antibody engineering and protein characterization.
• Hands-on work with technologies and workflows used in modern antibody research.

Practical details

Location: BioArctic in Stockholm. Preferred start: 18 January 2027. Scope: at least 30 ECTS, lasting one academic semester or longer according to university requirements. Apply before 10 November 2026 with your CV, relevant university transcripts and responses to the application form questions.