The NIIMBL eXperience is an exclusive in-person, all expenses paid immersion program that offers students real-world insight into biopharmaceutical industry careers through hands-on activities and direct interactions with industry professionals.
Key program goals:
The program is open to first and second year college students. Students must be actively enrolled in a degree program. Participation is limited to domestic students living within the United States.
310 students from 169 academic institutions since 2019
100 host organizations
4 regional teams selected for 2027
NIIMBL has opened student applications for the 2027 NIIMBL eXperience. Applications close February 8, 2026, at 5 pm ET.
Applications must be submitted through the NIIMBL Gateway. Applicants must request an account at least 48 hours before the submission deadline. Visit gateway.niimbl.org and click the Register card to submit an account request.
Student Office Hours
NIIMBL will host two office hours sessions for students to ask questions about the program or application process. No registration is required. Access links can be found below:
June 13-19, 2027
Bienvenidos / Welcome to Puerto Rico!
The NIIMBL eXperience @ PRSTRT is an exclusive, premier, all-expenses-paid immersion program. This unique opportunity is specifically designed for first- and second-year STEM university and community college students. Located in the heart of the Caribbean, Puerto Rico provides a vibrant tropical setting and a strategic position within global supply chains, making it a critical player in the worldwide biopharmaceutical landscape. The future of biopharma isn’t just about what’s coming next, but where it’s happening.
Over the course of this week-long program, participants will be fully engaged in hands-on training, exploring biomanufacturing processes at the Science City of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (PRSTRT). This immersive experience will offer students real-world insights into cutting-edge developments in the biopharma sector. Exclusive site visits to industry leaders such as Amgen, Lilly, AbbVie, Waters Biosciences, and Brystol Myers Squibb will further enhance their understanding and excitement about the industry. Alongside technical skills, students will take part in professional development workshops focused on resume building, networking, and career preparation, with a special emphasis on STEM.
Aiming to inspire students, this program empowers participants to open doors to STEM careers while building the confidence and connections they need to pursue these paths enthusiastically. All travel, housing, meals, and program expenses are fully covered, and participants will receive a $1,000 stipend. The NIIMBL eXperience @PRSTRT not only offers a career-defining opportunity but also invites students to experience the beauty and strategic importance of Puerto Rico—where biopharmaceutical manufacturing is in our DNA and continues to thrive at the forefront of the global industry.
June 20-26, 2027
Santa Clara University (SCU) is excited to host a one-week experiential program designed to inspire and support college students in their exploration of biotechnology. Participants will build data analytics skills, visit leading corporate labs and production facilities, network with professionals, and hear from experts about challenges and opportunities in biopharmaceutical manufacturing as the industry scales a new generation of breakthrough therapies. The program will take place starting on Sunday, June 20, 2027 through Saturday, June 26, 2027 and will be hosted on the SCU campus in Santa Clara, California.
In partnership with Biocom Institute (Biocom California’s education and workforce training arm) and Genentech, Inc. (biopharma manufacturer), the program will provide participants insights into a wide range of career paths, critical skills, and professional roles that intersect with the biopharmaceutical “factory of the future” and how that future will transform patient lives and make a compelling societal impact. Through a series of industry visits, technical sessions, panels, professional mentoring, and connections to internship pipelines, the program is designed to support students from a variety of disciplines including biology, bioengineering, computer engineering, and life sciences to accelerate and activate their careers in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
June 27-July 3, 2027
The University at Buffalo (UB), through the Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences (CBLS) and the Office of Business & Entrepreneur Partnerships is excited to host a one-week immersive program designed to introduce first- and second-year college students to the breadth of the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry. Participants will tour leading industry facilities, gain hands-on laboratory training in bioproduction, network with professionals and biotech founders, and build the personal-branding and career-readiness skills needed to pursue pathways into the sector. The program will be Sunday, June 27, 2027, through Saturday, July 3, 2027, at UB’s CBLS located on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.
The week-long experience will include tours of Thermo Fisher Scientific, Curia Global, ZeptoMetrix/Antylia Scientific, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cell and Gene Therapy manufacturing program and a day trip to companies in the neighboring city of Rochester. The program will give participants insight into the full range of functions that sustain modern bioproduction — laboratory science, process development, manufacturing operations, quality, regulatory, supply chain, engineering, equipment, and business. Through facility tours, hands-on labs using cells as a model “manufacturing factory,” career panels, professional-development workshops, and mentoring delivered in partnership with UB’s Career Design Center, SACNAS, and NSBE, the program is designed to support students from both STEM and non-STEM majors — including biology, engineering, and business — as they explore and activate careers in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
June 6 – 12, 2027
Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s (WPI)
Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s (WPI) CellTech Institute invites first- and second-year domestic undergraduate students to participate in a free, week-long NIIMBL eXperience Program from June 6-12, 2027. This immersive program introduces students to the technologies, people, and career opportunities shaping biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Participants who successfully complete the program will receive a $1,000 stipend while building technical skills, expanding their professional networks, and learning about career pathways in this rapidly growing field.
Participants will gain hands-on experience across the biomanufacturing pipeline through upstream and downstream processing laboratory modules and activities featuring advanced laboratory automation. Students will work with technologies including a Hamilton NGS STAR automated liquid-handling system and a robotic arm. They will also have the opportunity to earn a small-volume metrology micro credential from the Bioscience Core Skills Institute (BCSI). Beyond the laboratory, students will tour Pfizer and Cytiva, hear from external speakers and regional life-science leaders, including representatives from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center and Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives, and participate in resume development and personal-branding sessions. The week will also include a Worcester Woo Sox game and exclusive pregame tour.
Worcester, Massachusetts, is where a rich industrial manufacturing legacy meets today’s biomanufacturing revolution. WPI’s history of innovation in textiles and machinery has evolved alongside a regional ecosystem of biotechnology startups, pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and life-science incubators. By combining practical training, industry exposure, professional development, and networking, the NIIMBL eXperience at WPI will help students discover the many ways they can contribute to the future of biomanufacturing in New England and beyond.
Are you interested in hosting NIIMBL eXperience students this summer? The regional NIIMBL eXperience may have openings for you to participate. Contact us to learn more.
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We offer a variety of membership options that give you the flexibility to choose your organization’s level of engagement based on technology interests and priorities.
