It’s that time of year again – time to celebrate BioBuilder’s birthday on November 1!
Fourteen years ago, BioBuilder started with a simple idea: help students do real science while they are in high school, and they will build an appetite for college and careers in biotechnology.
It was a strategic effort to address a pressing challenge: Most teens lose interest in science when they fail to see how it fits into their future or how it can be used to help others. BioBuilder engages those students and helps them build their scientific knowledge, skills, and identity during their critical teenage years.
And here we are, 14 years later, with a thriving BioBuilder ecosystem and community!
Check out the timeline of major milestones at BioBuilder HERE. We just added the newest Learning Lab to our timeline – BioBuilder’s Learning Lab @Allston Labworks that opened this year!
Real Life Proof
BioBuilder’s growth and student successes demonstrate the impact of our mission. Since 2011, more than 87,000 students and teachers have stepped into BioBuilder labs, classrooms, and clubs to explore how they can engineer living cells to solve real-world problems. Today, students can take advantage of the many BioBuilder programs and opportunities developed over the first 14 years – opportunities that not a single student has found “boring!”
Many BioBuilders are now scientists working in labs, founding companies, and teaching the next generation. They are living proof of what’s possible when young people are given the opportunity to do meaningful scientific work.
To celebrate BioBuilder’s 14th birthday, let’s take a peek at three BioBuilder alumni who are now making the world a better place through science—and who are helping the next generation follow in their footsteps.
Dr. Michael Sheets
Michael was one of the earliest BioBuilder students. He first learned about synthetic biology in 2011 from his science teacher, Rebekah Ravgiala, at Tyngsborough High School in Massachusetts. He went on to be part of the school’s first-ever BioBuilderClub team. It’s fair to say Michael was then hooked on synthetic biology!
Michael advanced his interest in synthetic biology as a bioengineering undergraduate at Olin College. After receiving his B.S. degree, he went on to study at Boston University where, in 2023, he earned his PhD degree in molecular biology.
Michael is now a scientist at Sunflower Therapeutics, a biotechnology company that delivers next-generation protein manufacturing solutions for biomaterial manufacturing. Michael still finds time to be a mentor for BioBuilderClub teams and a Learning Lab instructor.
“BioBuilder affected the course of my career, education, and overall life.”
It’s wonderful to see Michael as a successful professional scientist, and great to get to see him around the Learning Labs!
Nancy Otaluka
Nancy got her start with synthetic biology as part of BioBuilder’s High School Apprenticeship Challenge in 2016. She went on to earn her B.A. in Psychology in 2021 from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Nancy also achieved a minor in Biochemistry–Pre-Med.
“This program gave me the space to grow, interacting with those already working in the industry.”
Nancy is now studying for her Master’s degree in Biomedical Science at Tufts University School of Medicine. In her spare time 😊, she is sharing her passion for science as a BioBuilder Learning Lab instructor.
We can’t wait to see what Nancy does next!
Edwin Gonzalez
Edwin started his BioBuilder journey in 2019 as part of BioBuilder’s High School Apprentice Challenge. That experience ignited his passion for science!
Edwin went on to earn his B.S. in Biology from Suffolk University in 2024.
“BioBuilder helped me decide my major in biology.”
Edwin is now a Scientific Support Specialist at ThermoFisher Scientific, a global equipment and supplies company. We know Edwin is busy, yet he still makes time to be an advisor for BioBuilder’s Student Ambassador Program!
We are so happy to see Edwin following his science dreams, and we are especially glad to have him as part of the Ambassador program!
And More…
These three scientists are just a sampling of the positive impact BioBuilder has been having on high school students over the past 14 years. You can read about other students at our “Science Comes Full Circle” 14th Birthday celebration page.
It brings us such joy to see young students come alive to the beauty of science and the hope it offers for their futures and the world. We are honored to be a part of their lives!
BioBuilder Birthday Support
We’re grateful to have you in the BioBuilder community! Your support helps students turn curiosity into confidence and potential into lasting impact.
At a time when science programs across the country face strong headwinds and uncertain funding, we are committed to keeping these opportunities alive and growing.
Celebrate BioBuilder’s 14th birthday with a gift that helps every student see themselves in science.
Thank you for your support and encouragement, which helps us support and encourage the next generation of scientists!
35 BioBuilderClub Papers Published
BioBuilder is thrilled to announce that the 2024-2025 BioBuilderClub teams had 35 student papers accepted for publication in the 2025 edition of BioTreks. That’s a 100% acceptance rate – the highest yet for any BioBuilderClub year!
The 34 BioBuilderClub teams worked from the fall of 2024 through March 2025 to design professional-level biotechnology projects addressing real-world challenges.
Here’s a sampling of their projects and papers:
- Innovative Methods Using Bacteria for Removing Heavy Metals from Water
- Precision Immunosuppression: Localized PD-L1 mRNA Therapy for Safer Lung Transplants
- Renewable Energy: Repurposing Fruit Waste to Biofuel using Engineered Escherichia coli
- Using Colicins to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant E. coli
If these whet your appetite for more, then you’ll be happy to know the BioTreks 2025 issue is expected to be available any day now. So keep checking back at biotreks.org. You’ll be able to read each of the papers and see the amazing synthetic biology being explored by these high school teams!
