Summer Springboard

Biotechnology

ON THE CAMPUS OF MIT

EXPLORE THE EXCITING WORLD OF BIOTECHNOLOGY WITH HANDS-ON LAB EXPERIENCE AND REAL-WORLD INSIGHTS DESIGNED FOR ASPIRING YOUNG SCIENTISTS

Biotechnology @ Cambridge, MA

  • Collaborate with scientists working on treatments for various diseases.
  • Design molecules and create compounds, following their journey to in vitro biological testing.
  • Learn to harvest and isolate proteins, and study their reactions to different compounds in a research lab.
  • Participate in a trypsin purification program and grow proteins in E. coli.
  • Apply the scientific method by creating molecules and testing their biological effects from hypothesis to conclusion.
  • Engage in discussions with industry professionals, visit biotech incubators, and gain hands-on lab experience to explore diverse aspects of the biotech field.

Summer Springboard

Biotechnology

About This Course

A biotechnology program for teens on a university campus in Cambridge, MA

Are you passionate about medicine, science, and technology? Do you dream of developing life-saving treatments? This immersive program offers high school students a rare opportunity to gain real-world experience in a cutting-edge biotechnology lab. Using advanced equipment, students will build core lab skills and explore key concepts in chemical biology, microbiology, genetics, and molecular biology, with a strong emphasis on gene expression and genetic engineering. The program highlights the interdisciplinary nature of biotechnology, drawing from fields such as biochemistry, microbiology, and information technology.

Students will work alongside scientists actively researching treatments for various diseases, starting from molecule design and compound creation through to testing in vitro biological activity. They’ll participate in projects like trypsin purification and protein expression in E. coli, learning how to isolate proteins and study their interactions with different compounds. Through hands-on experimentation and the application of the scientific method, students will create and test molecules, moving from hypothesis to conclusion. In addition to lab work, the program includes visits to biotech incubators and discussions with industry professionals, providing students with valuable insight into the biotech field and preparing them for future success.

TOPICS YOU'LL EXPLORE

Hands-on Learning

This program emphasizes hands-on learning, giving students the chance to work directly in a biotechnology lab using state-of-the-art equipment. From designing molecules and creating compounds to purifying proteins and testing biological activity, students will engage in real experiments that mirror the work of professional scientists. Through guided lab sessions, they’ll build technical skills, apply the scientific method, and gain firsthand experience in molecular biology, genetics, and biochemical research, all while exploring the dynamic world of biotech innovation.

Career Exploration

This program offers a valuable opportunity to explore paths in the biotechnology and life sciences industries. By working alongside scientists, engaging in advanced lab work, and visiting biotech incubators, students gain insight into the many career paths available in medicine, research, genetics, and biotech innovation. Conversations with industry professionals help students understand real-world applications of their work and discover how their interests in science and technology can lead to impactful, rewarding careers.

RESOURCES

Course Infosheet

Click here to view or download the printable infosheet for this course.

Program Catalog

Click here to request our catalog to learn more about our summer programs and courses.

Campus Page

Click here to view the website page for this campus and learn more.

“The SSB Biotech program really helped me to confirm my passion for pursuing biology in college. I also am now considering majoring in biotechnology specifically next year due to the learning I acquired during this course.”

-Addy F. | Alumni Student

Summer Springboard

Biotechnology

Meet Your Instructor

Dr. Lara Scheherazade Milane is a Bouvé College of Health Sciences Distinguished Educator and Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Northeastern University, Boston, MA. She recently designed and developed Anti-metastatic Communication Inhibiting Nanomedicine (A-COIN) for treating drug-resistant breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer (2025); Mitochondrial Network Enhancing (MiNE) nanoparticles for treating neurodegenerative disease (2025); and Combination Organelle Mitochondrial Endoplasmic reticulum Therapy (COMET) for treating multidrug-resistant triple negative breast cancer (2023). Dr. Milane’s research interests include mitochondrial nanomedicine, tunneling nanotube communication, extracellular vesicles communication, and developing nanotechnology-based solutions to manipulate cell communication in multidrug-resistant female cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. She coined cancer as “molecular evolution” and “survival of the fittest at its finest” and identified three emerging hallmarks of cancer—plasticity, heterogeneity, and quiescence (2017). Dr. Milane has authored 28 peer-reviewed journal publications, 9 book chapters, 3 white papers, and is the editor of 5 books, with two additional books in progress. She is also an advocate for women in science and promoting early/pre-college scientific interest and competency.

DR. LARA SCHEHERAZADE MILANE

“It was a nice experience. I met lots of interesting people and made friends. The academic course was fun. The staff was outstanding.”

-Matilda M. | Alumni Student

Summer Springboard

Biotechnology

Dates & Tuition

2025 Dates
Session 1: June 22 – July 4, 2025
Session 2: July 6 – July 18, 2025

Click here to enroll in this course using our online enrollment form.

Course supplement code:

Tuition
 Residential Tuition: $6,498
 Commuter Tuition: $3,298
Course Supplement: $250

Tuition Protection Plan: Allows for cancellation for any reason up until the day of the program.

Location
 City: Cambridge
 State: Massachusetts
Campus: MIT

Summer Springboard programs are not run by our campus partners (with the exception of Cal Poly and NYSID which are run in partnership with SSB). Universities and their affiliated departments and partners do not control and are not responsible or liable in any manner for any part of the Summer Springboard program.