BioBuilder is excitedly anticipating the upcoming launch of Part 2 of the BioTechBuilder teacher training program!
BioBuilder’s newest curriculum, BioTechBuilder, has been making waves since its launch last summer. This impact is possible thanks to the teachers who are determined to bring life-changing STEM learning to their students.
You may remember that BioTechBuilder is the award-winning curriculum for high school career and technical education.
Let’s take a look at where our teacher training has been and where it’s going…in the very near future!
Part 1 Teacher Training
Part 1 of the teacher training program has been a smashing success over the past year! This step aligns with the Lab Skills Module in the student curriculum, focusing on two essential techniques:
- Making solutions
- Growing cells
Part 2 Teacher Training
Part 2 becomes available in July and focuses on DNA analysis. Teachers will learn how to help students use the lab skills learned previously to conduct DNA isolation, amplification, and sequencing. This aligns with the first part of the Foundations Module in the student curriculum.
Teacher Talk
Check out some of the teachers’ insights and their encouraging feedback about teaching BioTechBuilder.
Yazmin Camacho
Research Fellow at Boston University; BioBuilder High School Apprenticeship Challenge teacher
Yazmin appreciates how BioTechBuilder labs allow students to make mistakes and learn from them, which is an important part of learning and learning from science.
Jo-Anne Purdy
High school science teacher for 29 years
In every class, students ask/tell her “Can we do this more often?” “Can we do labs like this every day?” “I feel like a real scientist.”
Noreen Lyell
Senior Instructor at MIT
Noreen appreciates how the BioTechBuilder structure teaches a few key concepts and then immediately moves to the lab to reinforce that learning.
Feedback and impacts such as this stoke our engines to “keep on keepin’ on” here at BioBuilder!
Training Designed for Busy Teachers
The BioTechBuilder teacher training program is designed to be easily accessible by teachers at any time and pace that works with THEIR schedule.
The program is delivered in five parts that parallel the student curriculum:
The training is accessed through our interactive learning platform where you will find many resources for learning and teaching, such as:
- Videos, protocols, and downloads
- Lab activities to complete
- Certificates of completion
- Ready-to-use teaching slides
- Classroom and lab demonstration videos
- Lab materials and instructions
- Student assignments
- Pointers for BCSI and BACE micro-credential testing
And you won’t be doing it alone! The program includes online “office hours” where you can ask questions and continue learning from BioBuilder educators.
BioTechBuilder is “biotechnology in a box” and the teacher training program is “professional development in a box!”
Sharing Biotechnology Skills With the World
Our Founder and Executive Director, Natalie Kuldell, recently gave two talks at the BIO International Convention. Both are aimed at mobilizing every bit of life science talent in every corner of the country. How?
With >20,000 attending #BIO2025, it’s clear that biotechnology skills—like problem-solving and innovation—are in high demand as the bioscience field tackles today’s complex problems.
BioBuilder Educational Foundation has been paving the way for students with groundbreaking programs focused on project-based learning (BioBuilder) and skill building (BioTechBuilder). These programs teach real-world solutions and career readiness and have reached more than 65,000 students so far!
As technology evolves, positions in biotechnology are constantly expanding. Preparing for this future means equipping the next generation with critical skills that pave their future path for success and innovation.
We are here as a guide for all who want to expand biotechnology college career horizons.