Image Analysis Scientist

Are you passionate about advanced pathology imaging and digital image analysis? Can you apply these skills to help us in drug discovery? Do you have expertise in applying image analysis techniques to complex tissue imaging data and have an appetite for applying these skills to advance the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines to patients? We have an opening at our Pathology department at AstraZeneca!

As an Image Analysis Scientist, you will apply brand new technologies and advanced image processing and analysis to help derive biological insights from digital pathology imaging data to support drug development projects. You will work alongside our team of image analysis scientists, imaging scientist, pathologists, biologists and data scientists within Clinical Pharmacology and Safety Sciences (CPSS). 

CPSS is changing the way imaging technologies are combined to offer unprecedented insight and impact. Our global Imaging teams combine data from histology, digital pathology, multiplex immunofluorescent assays and advanced molecular imaging techniques (including mass spectrometry imaging) to understand the spatial biology of disease and drug discovery.

This position offers the opportunity to be involved in the investigation of both the safety and efficacy of drugs within our projects in both a preclinical and clinical setting. We believe this is a truly exciting opportunity.

The Role

You will support drug discovery project delivering image analysis endpoints. You will develop image analysis algorithms using commercial software platforms and bespoke innovative computer vision models primarily for digital pathology based imaging modalities (H&E, IHC, multiplex immunofluorescence) across multiple therapeutic areas. You will be fully connected with our global imaging teams offering access to our full suite of technologies.

You will take a lead in delivering established and cutting-edge image analysis for imaging data sets. Providing expertise in image processing, segmentation and quantitative analysis using both established image analysis software as well as other computer vision based machine learning and deep learning approaches to derive solutions to a range of problems in biomedical images. Working in a highly multidisciplinary environment with scientists across AstraZeneca.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Drive the delivery of impact to drug projects through image analysis support across all AZ therapy areas
• Deliver & develop image analysis support and data generation for digital pathology based imaging activities for preclinical studies. (e.g. Positive cell count, tissue segmentation, dual-stain analysis)
• Experience using vendor platform (e.g HALO/Visiopharm) and other computer vision based approaches.
• Collaborate with cross functional teams e.g. Imaging scientists, Pathologists and other Bioscientists, to develop analysis strategies & plans, lead image analysis studies, analyse images and derive results for drug safety and efficacy assessment.
• Prepare and present visualization of image analysis results, associated with drug treatments, response and survival data and other sample attributes using appropriate statistical methods.
• Active participation in the use of FAIR standards to support enterprise level image data storage and management, data ingestion processes, tools and technology to support current and future analyses and data insights to support AZ drug development portfolio.
• Collaborate with other Image Analysis scientists within the Pathology group and wider AZ organization to propose, review and finalize future image analysis algorithm development and project work.
• Communicates project results, conclusions and recommendations effectively to colleagues, teams, partners and collaborators through written reports and oral presentations at internal and external meetings.
• Contributes to the publication of scientific abstracts, posters, presentations, manuscripts and/or patent applications.

Education & Experience Requirements:

• MSc/PhD in a Biological Science, Biomedical Engineering, Bioinformatics, Computer Science or related field with 2 or more years of related experience in academia or pharmaceutical/biotech/CRO organization

Essential Requirements:

• Prior experience of digital pathology and performing image processing, segmentation, classification and analysis of tissue-based imaging data is critical.
• Shown experience using HALO and/or Visiopharm image analysis software  
• Experience delivering computer vision/machine learning approaches using off-the-shelf image analysis software (e.g. QuPath, ImageJ), or applying programming skills (e.g. Python, R, MATLAB) for tailored <