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Research papers published Across Springer, IEEE, Elsevier and other peer-reviewed international journals.
In collaboration with
OMOTEC
BUILDUP
BIOMEDICAL LAB
12 weeks of real biotech research. Built and submitted by high school students, with OMOTEC mentors.
3 MONTHS
FULL PROGRAM
30 STUDENTS
FULL COHORT
4
TRACKS
JUL 1 – SEPT 30
PROGRAM DATES
What is BuildUp Biotech Lab?
Medicine is changing faster than it's being taught. AI is diagnosing cancer. Algorithms are identifying drug candidates. Genomic data is reshaping how we understand disease. The Biotech Lab is where high school students stop reading about these changes and start contributing to it.
Over 12 weeks, fully remote and in collaboration with OMOTEC, a globally recognised student research organisation, you'll pick a biotech problem that interests you, build a working computational tool to investigate it, and co-author a research paper submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.
Prototype & Research Tracks
Four research tracks. One program.
After Phase 1, your team chooses a track and goes deep. Every track is laptop-only, using open-access data and computational tools accessible from anywhere in the world.
Biomedical & Health science
This track focuses on understanding human health, disease mechanisms, and physiological systems, including the influence of environmental and internal factors.
Genetics and Molecular Biology of DiseaseImmunologyNutrition and Natural Products
Translational Medical Science
This track focuses on converting scientific discoveries into practical healthcare applications and improving clinical outcomes.
Disease Detection and DiagnosisDisease PreventionDisease Treatment and TherapiesDrug Identification and Testing
Computational Biology & Bioinformatics
This track focuses on the use of computational tools, mathematical modeling, and data analytics to study biological systems.
Computational BiomodelingComputational EpidemiologyComputational Evolutionary BiologyComputational NeuroscienceComputational Pharmacology
Biomedical Engineering
This track applies engineering principles to design solutions for healthcare, including diagnostics, monitoring systems, and therapeutic devices.
Biomaterials and Regenerative MedicineBiomechanicsBiomedical DevicesBiomedical Sensors and ImagingCell and Tissue EngineeringSynthetic Biology
One complete research journey.
PHASE 1: Foundation & Exploration
Weeks 1–4 · Saturday & Sunday evenings · 8 hours total
Phase description:
All students go through this together. Before anyone picks a track, you build the technical and analytical foundation you need to do real biomedical research. By the end of Week 4 you have a research idea. By the end of the transition, it's been validated by people who work in the field.
Week 1 — Python foundations
Python for biological data. Variables, loops, functions, and OOP — grounded in real biomedical examples from day one.
Week 2 — AI & Machine Learning
How ML models work, where they're transforming medicine, and how to build and evaluate one yourself.
Week 3 — LLMs & Claude for coding
How large language models work and how to use them as a research and coding assistant, prompting, debugging, and responsible use in research.
Week 4 — Data analytics & track selection
Data visualisation, biological datasets, and mapping a real problem onto a research question. You explore all four tracks and choose where you want to go deep.
PHASE 2: Specialisation & Project Execution
Weeks 5–15 · Teams of 5–6 · 1 dedicated OMOTEC mentor per team
Phase description:
You're now working in a focused team on a shared research problem. Your OMOTEC mentor guides, reviews, and supports. Two formal milestone reviews keep the research on track. The program ends with a live panel presentation.
Week 5 — Idea validation
You present your research idea to a panel of doctors and domain experts. You defend it, refine it, and lock in your direction before building begins.
Weeks 6–7 — Data & methodology
Source your dataset, clean it, and define your approach. What problem, what data, what method you use will be written down and signed off before you build anything.
Week 8 — Preliminary Design Review
First formal milestone, where you present your data, early findings, and methodology to your mentor.
Weeks 9–11 — Build sprint
You build things like ML models, bioinformatics pipelines, or health applications.
Week 12 — Critical Design Review
Second formal milestone. Present your results, what worked, what didn't, and what it means.
Weeks 13–14 — Paper writing & revision
Rounds of mentor-guided revision. Paper edits begin to get ready for submission.
Week 15 — Final presentation
Live panel to discuss your problem, your tool, and your findings.
Why this program?
Most programs teach you about biomedical science. This one puts you inside it.
Working computational tool
An ML model, bioinformatics pipeline, or deployed health application, built by you over eight weeks. It can be leveraged in any university interview or personal statement.
Co-authored research paper
15–25 pages, written with your team and guided by your mentor from first draft to journal submission. Submitted to peer-reviewed journals.
Post-program publication support.
The program ends at Week 15, but your mentor stays with you through the journal submission process, reviewer responses, and revisions until your paper is accepted.
Who should apply?
Grades 9–12
The program is open to high school students globally. No prior research, coding, or biology experience is required.
Students interested in medicine, biology, or health tech
If you're drawn to how technology is changing healthcare or AI diagnostics, genomics, drug discovery, computational neuroscience, this is the program to go deep in it before university.
Students building a serious university application
A published research paper and a working tool are rare, verifiable credentials at the high school level. This program is built to produce both.
Past Research Projects
Every project below was built and written by high school students, guided by OMOTEC mentors and published in peer-reviewed international journals. Open a track to see abstracts, keywords, and publication links.
Mentors
Mentored by researchers who publish, patent, and build.
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Patents filed Including 4 granted patents on student-built devices and systems.
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Global awards won By students these mentors trained — across Regeneron ISEF, GENIUS Olympiad, Conrad Challenge and more.
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Students trained Across 8 innovation centres in India over more than a decade of research education.
Your mentor reviews your methodology, supports your build, edits your drafts, leads your milestone reviews, and continues working with you post-program until your paper is accepted. The recommendation letter they write reflects direct supervision of your work across the full program.
Global reach
Our students are from
Schools and institutions represented across BuildUp programs worldwide — reflecting our commitment to global collaboration and diverse peer perspectives.
Akshara International
Bishops School Pune
Enko International Schools
Heritage International School
International Academy
Mahindra United World College
Pathways World School
Prudence School
Shri Ram School
Thomas Jefferson high School
Vidyagyan School
Akshara International
Bishops School Pune
Enko International Schools
Heritage International School
International Academy
Mahindra United World College
Pathways World School
Prudence School
Shri Ram School
Thomas Jefferson high School
Vidyagyan School
BD Somani
CNS Pune
Future Kids School Hyderabad
Indus Bangalore
Kodaikanal International School
MIT Vishwashanti Gurukul
Pestalozzi Education Center
Riverside Academy - Qatar
Stonehill International School
TISB
Woodstock School
BD Somani
CNS Pune
Future Kids School Hyderabad
Indus Bangalore
Kodaikanal International School
MIT Vishwashanti Gurukul
Pestalozzi Education Center
Riverside Academy - Qatar
Stonehill International School
TISB
Woodstock School
Billabong High International
Cygnus World School
Gems Modern Academy - Abu Dhabi
Indus Pune
Mahindra International School
Oakridge International
Pine View School
San Mateo High School
The Doon School
Vidya Valley School
Billabong High International
Cygnus World School
Gems Modern Academy - Abu Dhabi
Indus Pune
Mahindra International School
Oakridge International
Pine View School
San Mateo High School
The Doon School
Vidya Valley School
Outcomes
BuildUp student admits
Our students progress to globally respected universities through research-first preparation, rigorous mentorship, and project-backed profiles.
Brown University
Duke University
King’s College London
LSE
NYU
UCLA
University of Oxford
USC
Brown University
Duke University
King’s College London
LSE
NYU
UCLA
University of Oxford
USC
Carnegie Mellon University
Harvard University
London Business School
NUS
UC Berkeley
University College London
University of Warwick
Carnegie Mellon University
Harvard University
London Business School
NUS
UC Berkeley
University College London
University of Warwick
Admissions
Selection process
A straightforward path from application to offer — merit-based review with financial aid for exceptional students.
01
Apply
Submit a short application outlining your interests, background, and motivation.
02
Interview
Shortlisted applicants are invited for a 1:1 conversation to assess fit and commitment.
03
Final decision
Selected students receive an offer along with their financial aid decision.
Financial aid
Financial aid is awarded to a limited number of exceptional applicants based on merit and demonstrated potential.
There are limited merit grants of $500 & $750 available to select students.
Limited seats. Selection based on application and interview.
Limited cohort · Summer 2026
Ready to research?
BuildUp Biotech Lab is selective — 30 students, dedicated mentors, and 12 weeks of real biotech work. Start your application on our dedicated apply page.
30
Students per cohort
12
Weeks of research
4
Research tracks
FAQs
Frequently asked questions.
