Work Experience

Our work experience programme is a valuable opportunity for students to find out more about careers in biomedical science, gain an insight into life in laboratory research, and see inside our animal facility.

Our 2025 programme is currently in development and details, including application deadlines, will be added here in due course.

Read on for basic information about our 2024 programme for an idea of what might be on offer.

Years 10-11

This one-week programme will allow the students to access to our research and service laboratories and experience the challenges and rewards of working in biomedical science. They will spend time in our world leading animal facility gaining valuable insight on how the use of animals in medical research is regulated and how our state-of-the-art methods allow the study of human diseases in model organisms.

Years 12-13

This one-week programme will allow students to rotate between different laboratories and gain theoretical and practical experience of the work and techniques used by the Mary Lyon Centre scientists, to advance the understanding of human genetic disease using the mouse as a model organism. They will be able to observe some of the work carried out in the animals facility and understand how mice help us dissect disease onset, progression, and outcome.

Y13 and university applicants

This one-week intensive programme will allow the students to go through a short scientific project, from design stage to data analysis and interpretation to gain invaluable practical laboratory skills, including health and safety, basic laboratory techniques as well as an overview of how to design a scientific experiment based on the available information and a well formulated scientific question.

How to apply

To apply, you will need to send us your CV and a brief cover letter about why you would like to come and do your work experience at MRC Harwell.

Please send any enquiries/your applications to comms@har.mrc.ac.uk