SweDeliver summer internship an experience of a lifetime

In spring 2025, SweDeliver traditionally invited the master's students of Europe to register their interest in a six-week summer internship at the center's industrial partners. The response reached new record levels and only after a meticulous review of the many high-quality applications from across the continent, six candidates were matched with companies at the frontline of pharmacy. Among those selected is Anita Nicoletti, a master's student in Pharmaceutical Technology at Lund University who has just experienced a summer at AstraZeneca's site in Mölndal.

“Being all set on a doctoral project in drug delivery, I am well acquainted with SweDeliver's strong involvement in this field and its unique platform for collaboration between academia and industry. To me, a summer internship is the perfect opportunity to gain hands-on experience and expand personal networks at a big pharma company, and with AstraZeneca's expertise in innovation and manufacturing aligning perfectly with my interests and future ambitions, my choice of company to do this internship was a given,” says Anita Nicoletti.

As a summer intern at SweDeliver, the master's student has an active role in ongoing projects, and at AstraZeneca's laboratories, Anita has, among many tasks, explored the dynamic rheological properties of powders to optimize continuous manufacturing. Along the way, she has handled high-tech instruments and been able to improve her skills in Python, the programming language that has become an important resource in the pharmaceutical industry.

“I received a hearty welcome at AstraZeneca with the entire team contributing to include me from the very start. My days integrated equal parts laboratory work and data analysis, but also plenty of rewarding discussions mixed with informal lunch room conversations where we exchanged ideas and experiences. These weeks have really highlighted the values of interdisciplinary collaboration,” states Anita Nicoletti.

As she returns to Lund and the master's programme in Pharmaceutical Technology, Anita also takes home a new appreciation for structured problem solving and scientific rigor – not to mention an even stronger dedication to pursue a career in drug delivery with the opportunity to combine her technical and innovative skills.

“This summer internship has given me many valuable insights into the process from research to industrial application and reinforced my passion for the pharmaceutical sciences. I am so very grateful to SweDeliver and AstraZeneca for giving me this opportunity – and to all master's students who are considering to apply next summer, my advice is: Go for it! I promise you will gain skills, experience and insights that go far beyond the classroom.”

Text: Magnus Alsne, photo: private