AstraZeneca in Cambridge – Unlocking the power of science

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AstraZeneca in Cambridge –
unlocking the power of science

Strategically located in the heart of a world-class innovation ecosystem, we are a catalyst for pioneering science and sustainable growth across AstraZeneca, the Cambridge region and the UK. Home to our global corporate headquarters and flagship research and development (R&D) facility, The Discovery Centre (The DISC), our base in Cambridge connects us with world-leading academic and industry networks, scientific talent, collaboration opportunities and a vibrant local community – fostering progress and positive impact together.

AstraZeneca in Cambridge – Key facts

4,000 direct employees,
6,000 jobs supported

charitable beneficiaries
in 2024

students engaged in STEM with Cambridge United Foundation

science-led partnerships

volunteer business mentors

Discover how The DISC is enabling new frontiers of scientific innovation in the below video:

Collaborating for impact

Cambridge is one of the fastest-growing and most exciting areas for science - combining world-leading academic research institutions, renowned hospitals and leading-edge biotech companies. To be part of the unique collaboration opportunities that the Cambridge ecosystem offers, we moved our global headquarters here just over a decade ago. Today, we are involved in 200 science-led partnerships across the Cambridge region, catalysing cross-sector collaboration and sharing our compounds, technologies, and expertise to advance drug discovery and development. We are also building connections between Cambridge and other major UK cities, driving nationwide innovation and supporting sustainable growth.

Collaboration in action: discover highlights from our decade-long partnership with the University of Cambridge

Unlocking the power of what science can do

Our Cambridge teams cover the full innovation lifecycle – from R&D to late-stage development and commercialisation to help new treatment advances reach the patients that need them. Located at the heart of the thriving Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC), The DISC is the UK’s largest research facility by number of scientists and acts as a centre for cutting-edge technologies to accelerate the pace of our drug discovery and development.

Here, more than 2,000 researchers push the boundaries of science – harnessing machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies to understand complex disease biology better, identify potential new medicines faster and increase the likelihood that these discoveries will ultimately become treatments that can improve outcomes for patients.

Designed to be the gold standard in sustainable R&D, The DISC is also an important part of our ambitious science-based decarbonisation targets.

Thanks to energy-efficient design and renewable energy use, our carbon footprint for the first full year of occupation of our site on the CBC was similar to just three average UK households.¹

Learn more about our actions to drive sustainability for the health of people, society and the planet

Empowering the scientists of tomorrow

We know that the young people of today will ultimately drive solutions for tomorrow’s challenges. Through our science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning programmes we aim to inspire and enable Cambridge’s next generation of scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs to pursue their scientific interests.

Our STEM Inspiration Lab at The DISC is a dedicated space to bring the science learnt in the classroom to life. Each year hundreds of school children (primarily 7–14-year-olds) from across Cambridge visit the Lab, plus our talented STEM ambassadors and volunteers also directly visit many schools across the region to amplify learning efforts.

We believe STEM can and should be for everyone. Through our Active Science programme we use sport to engage young people from all backgrounds in the possibilities of a career in science. Established in Cambridge in 2015 and run with the Cambridge United Foundation, the programme’s reach and impact continues to go from strength to strength.

Learn more about our commitment to STEM and the Active Science programme.

Supporting a thriving community

We are committed to working alongside the Cambridge community to create lasting, positive impact. As the largest life sciences employer in Cambridge, we proudly support more than 6,000 high-quality jobs across the region, including approximately 4,000 people employed directly. Our early talent programmes are award-winning and for the first time, in 2024 we were named the top employer for R&D by The Times.

We contribute £1.8 billion to the local economy, mentor entrepreneurs and start-ups, lead initiatives with the aim to enhance patient care in Cambridgeshire, spend thousands of hours volunteering in the community, and support local charities, initiatives and institutions.

We have created our campus at the CBC to foster collaboration and engagement with both scientific and local communities. In 2024, we opened The Hub – an amenities centre at the heart of the CBC featuring a café, shop and event space open to the wider campus community and the public – complementing our existing open areas, including the Grecian Café and courtyard within The DISC.