This year, more than any other in its 14-year history, BioBuilder saw what happens when students first encounter science not as spectators, but as problem-solvers and contributors. Young people were seen entering BioBuilder programs tentative about whether they belonged in science and discovered instead a sense of capability, purpose, and place.
Beyond the experiential evidence noted by teachers and BioBuilder educators, the students themselves provide data on the efficacy of BioBuilder programs. A recent study of BioBuilder’s programs showed how our work measurably strengthens students’ science identity — their belief that they can understand, do, and be a “science person,” is a key predictor of persistence in STEM pathways.
With like-minded partners, BioBuilder is preparing for national expansion while strengthening the foundation that has already served more than 87,000 students and 600 educators across all 50 states and 80 countries.
Let’s take a look at some of the 2025 highlights that are moving BioBuilder, students, and teachers into the biotechnology revolution.
New Learning Lab Opens its Doors
In February, BioBuilder opened its new Learning Lab @Allston Labworks, the third BioBuilder learning lab in the Boston area. This 2,000-square-foot training facility is located on the ground floor of the new Allston Labworks building in Boston’s Allston neighborhood.
The state-of-the-art training facility includes a fully equipped lab plus classroom space to provide local high school students with skills-based training. What a fine facility to prepare Boston’s future biomanufacturing workforce!
“We’ve already begun collaborating with local schools like Brighton High School to offer new student workshops. Our goal is for every student to be exposed to life-science careers.”
—BioBuilder’s Dr. Natalie Kuldell
The support of King Street Properties and the Massachusetts Life Science Center’s Capital Grant Program helped make this expansion possible. Thank you both!
New Teacher Professional Development
In February, BioBuilder launched the all new teacher professional development platform for its BioTechBuilder CTE curriculum. The versatile five-part training series enables educators to learn on their own time and at their own pace. Each part is offered on-demand to accommodate busy schedules and lives.
In August, BioBuilder was thrilled to learn of the winners of the Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2025 Awards. BioTechBuilder teacher professional development took the top spot in two categories!
- Best Professional Development for Life Sciences
- Bridging the Gap: Professional Development for products and services for educators that help accelerate student learning
“My favorite part about teaching this is the genuine excitement of the students when they’re successful in the lab.”
—Kelley Pagura, Biotechnology Instructor, Lynn Vocational Technical Institute
Career Ready Students
The BioBuilder High School Apprenticeship Challenge (HSAC) is an eight-week program that helps prepare high school students to apply to paid summer internships, higher education, or full-time jobs in the life sciences. Students build technical knowledge, lab techniques, research-based thinking, and professional skills.
Another recent addition to the HSAC program is the ability for students to test for microcredentials at the end of the training. These are industry-level proofs that the students have mastered specific, important skills for life science careers.
HSAC 2025 by the numbers:
163 microcredentials were earned by the students
52 students completed the HSAC program
Students represented 27 high schools
“I feel like I’m coming out of this program with an abundance of knowledge.”
–Josie S., HSAC student
Many thanks to the sponsors of this program including Ginkgo Bioworks, Clark University, Massachusetts Life Science Center, Kelly Science and Clinical, Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives (MBI), Josephine Lawrence Hopkins Foundation, and the City of Boston. We couldn’t do it without you!
Expanding Science at the Club Level
The BioBuilderClub program engages high school students in a unique, student-driven research program. Teams choose a project topic that interests them – ranging from medicine to sustainability, agriculture and beyond – and are paired with a mentor whose expertise aligns with their goals.
With the help of their mentors, students design experiments, carry them out, analyze their data, and refine their ideas. Each team then presents its works at the Final Assembly, sharing posters and results with peers and industry professionals.
BioBuilderClub 2025 by the numbers:
357 students in 57 teams
From 14 U.S. states and 3 countries
190 hours of mentorship
55 “lightning talks” at the final assembly
31 publications in BioTreks journal
Special thanks to the Ragon Institute and UCB for their generous sponsorship of BioBuilderClub and its students.
“I just finished my first year at Texas A&M and officially started as an undergraduate researcher! I see evidence of my BioBuilder experience every day in the lab.
–Hadeeqah Q.
Summer of Discovery
BioBuilder’s Summer Research Program for rising 10-12th graders is led by champion educators and PhD scientists. For two weeks, students are immersed in hands-on research inside BioBuilder’s state-of-the-art bioengineering Learning Labs in Boston’s Seaport and Allston neighborhoods.
Alongside conducting real experiments in applied biology, the students get to meet working scientists and learn about their career paths.
Summer Research Program 2025 by the numbers:
44 students
32 schools
From 3 U.S. states and 4 countries
Summer Research Program 2025 delivered remarkable results:
- Students’ understanding of synthetic biology nearly doubled over the two-week session
- 91% reported strengthened interest in STEM education and careers
Donor support enables BioBuilder to provide full scholarships for an entire cohort in 2025! Thank you to Erin Lavik, ScD, the James B. Boskey Memorial Foundation, Ginkgo Bioworks, and King Street Properties for your generous support of these young scientists!
“BioBuilder has forever changed my life. What started as a school project fostered a passion for synthetic biology.”
–Liam Klug, University of North Texas, Student Ambassador for BioBuilder
Nationwide Outreach
BioBuilder is committed to building the biotech workforce needed to propel the biotechnology revolution to its full potential. In 2025, BioBuilder participated in numerous regional and national level events to keep biotech education at the forefront of this movement. Here are a few examples of that participation:
In April, BioBuilder Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Natalie Kuldell, was invited to be a panelist at the AI+ Biotechnology Summit in Washington, D.C.
In June, Dr. Kuldell gave two talks at the BIO International Convention, both aimed at mobilizing every bit of life science talent in every corner of the country.
In August, BioBuilder participated in a special meeting of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) held at East Tennessee State University. The Commissioners wanted to see how Appalachian educators and industry leaders are preparing students for careers in science and biotechnology.
In November, BioBuilder published “Building the Bioeconomy from the Classroom Up” laying out East Tennessee’s proven approach to developing a science/biotech education regional hub that supports students, families, industry, and the bioeconomy.
Building a future biotech workforce is vital to our nation’s growth. BioBuilder is bringing industry-level biotech training to students in regions across the nation!
“Our goal is to excite this next generation of young people to think about life science as a career.”
–Natalie Kuldell, Founder and Executive Director of BioBuilder Educational Foundation
As we pursue our aspirational goal of “BioBuilder in every high school in America,” we remain anchored to what makes BioBuilder so effective:
Empowering educators
Equipping students with real scientific skills
Opening doors to meaningful careers
HSAC Celebration Time!
This fall semester has been a busy one for students in BioBuilder’s High School Apprenticeship Challenge (HSAC) program. The HSAC is a pre-professional training opportunity in which high school students build technical knowledge, lab techniques, research-based thinking, and professional skills to help prepare them for college and/or careers at life science companies.
This fall’s apprentices have worked hard since October, both online and at BioBuilder’s Learning Lab @Allston Labworks, learning synthetic biology with the BioBuilder curriculum and building hands-on professional lab skills.
Their time in the lab concluded with the opportunity to test for industry-aligned microcredentials. What a win it was when 21 students achieved one or more microcredentials:
- From the Biosciences Core Skills Institute (BCSI)
- Lab Safety: Hazard Assessment
- From the Biotechnology Aptitude and Competency Exam (BACE), Digital Badges in:
- Applied Mathematics
- Biotechnology Skills
- Standard equipment
In fact, 15 students earned all four of these microcredentials!
Success!
The HSAC Closing Ceremony was held on Saturday, December 13, at the Learning Lab. It was a celebration in every sense of the word as students were joined by family, friends, instructors, and other supporters to honor the incredible achievements of these students!
Twenty-three students from 15 Boston area high schools who completed the rigorous 8-week program received their Certificates of Completion, proving what’s possible when students are trusted with real science. The students also took the lead in the lab, proudly showing their family and friends exactly how the work gets done in a life science laboratory.
Changing Lives
Experience has shown how HSAC can have tremendous impact on a student’s vision for their future. Here are a couple of insights from this fall’s students:
When asked how HSAC changed the way they think about science or research, one student replied:
“I’ve always liked science and research, but I think the practical portion got a lot more interesting to me. I find myself getting more and more excited at the idea of doing my own experiments and research…”
When asked how HSAC changed how they see their future career or education goals, another student replied:
“I didn’t know much about what lab work would look like before this program. It has really solidified my understanding of science and research as a career choice, and I think that I will try to pursue a career in molecular biology and/or lab work.”
Congratulations to all of these amazing young scientists! We are so happy and excited for you!
Big Thanks
Many thanks to our supporters for helping make the HSAC possible:
- Kelly Science, Engineering, Technology, & Telecom
- Worker Empowerment Cabinet – City of Boston
- Allston Labworks
- Massachusetts Life Sciences Center
- USA Scientific
- Ginkgo Bioworks
- UCB
- WIB
- Josephine Lawrence Hopkins Foundation
- James B. Boskey Memorial Foundation
Heads Up!
The spring HSAC cohort will be forming soon. Find out more and get registered!