BioBuilder Awarded $1 Million MLSC Grant for AI-Powered Biotechnology Training in Massachusetts High Schools
Key Insights
BioBuilder Educational Foundation (search) received a $1 million "Gamechanger" grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (search) to develop an AI-enabled biotechnology training and credentialing system.
The initiative, developed in collaboration with Boston-based AI company Transfyr (search), will provide real-time AI coaching on core laboratory techniques such as pipetting precision and aseptic technique.
A pilot cohort of approximately 850 students will launch across BioBuilder's existing Massachusetts programs, with priority given to historically underrepresented communities including Gateway Cities and Title I districts.
The BioBuilder Educational Foundation (search), a Boston-based nonprofit dedicated to bringing hands-on biotechnology education to students nationwide, has been awarded a $1,000,000 "Gamechanger" grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (search) (MLSC). The funding, announced on July 23, 2026, is part of $12.3 million in awards distributed through the MLSC's Education and Workforce Development Grant Program, which is supporting 68 awards to public schools, colleges, and nonprofit organizations across the Commonwealth.
The grant will fund the development and deployment of an AI-enabled training and credentialing system, created in collaboration with Transfyr (search), a Boston-based AI and life science technology company. The system is designed to bring apprenticeship-quality laboratory instruction into high school classrooms, addressing a critical workforce development need as Massachusetts is projected to add nearly 14,000 life sciences jobs by 2030.
Scaling the Apprenticeship Model Through AI
"Science has always been taught through apprenticeship: see one, do one, teach one. Our goal is to preserve that model while extending it through AI, effectively enabling 'see one, do one, teach one' at scale, so every student can receive the kind of individualized coaching that was once available to only a fortune few," said Natalie Kuldell, Founder and Executive Director of the BioBuilder Educational Foundation (search).
The new system will observe, assess, and coach students in real time on core laboratory techniques, including pipetting precision and aseptic technique, providing objective, individualized feedback as students build toward industry-recognized biotechnology credentials. Across the country, students eager to engage in authentic science often lack access to laboratories, experienced mentors, or timely feedback on the hands-on skills that biotechnology demands — a gap this initiative aims to close.
Pilot Program and Long-Term Vision
The initiative will launch with a pilot cohort of approximately 850 students across BioBuilder's existing Massachusetts programs, including BioBuilderClubs, its Apprenticeship and Summer Research programs, and classroom pilots. Priority will be given to schools and communities historically underrepresented in the life sciences, including Gateway Cities and Title I districts.
Because biology is a graduation requirement in Massachusetts, BioBuilder sees a long-term path to embedding this AI-supported instruction within required coursework statewide, representing a potential reach of approximately 70,000 students annually.
"For over a decade, BioBuilder and the MLSC have partnered closely to create access and opportunity for students in Massachusetts to gain the skills and exposure needed to pursue a career in the life sciences," said Ryan Mudawar, MLSC EVP of Educational Partnerships and Workforce Investments. "This new grant builds on that partnership by enabling BioBuilder to integrate AI and automation into its training and scale across the Commonwealth."
Economic Competitiveness and Workforce Readiness
Anna Marie Wagner, co-founder and CEO of Transfyr (search), emphasized the broader implications: "We're living in a moment in time where novel ideas in biology are abundant. The question now is whether we can build the capacity to turn that possibility into real-world impact. Today, too much talent gets left behind because expert coaching and hands-on training are scarce. Technology gives us the potential to scale personalized training and credentialing, which has enormous implications for economic competitiveness."
The program builds on a research base showing that hands-on, apprenticeship-style science instruction increases students' confidence and persistence in STEM fields. By pairing that model with real-time AI coaching, BioBuilder aims to make rigorous, credential-aligned biotechnology training accessible to students regardless of geography or their school's existing resources.
Since its founding in 2011 by an award-winning team from MIT, BioBuilder has worked with schools in over 87 countries and 50 states, impacting over 94,000 students to better align workforce skills with the needs of the life sciences industry.