ONLINE APPLICATION OPENS: January 19, 2026, 8:00 AM PST
STUDENT APPLICATION DEADLINE: February 26, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST
LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION DEADLINE: March 6, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST
Applications are competitive and space is limited.
The LLNL Biotechnology Summer Experience is a two-week program that engages high school students in an authentic research project in molecular biology and bioinformatics. It focuses on the isolation, characterization, and DNA sequence analyses of genes from the duckweed species, Landoltia punctata. Duckweed is a fresh-water aquatic plant that is of interest to the scientific community.
High school students are expected to work to isolate and purify plasmid DNA and perform PCR (polymerase chain reactions), restriction digests, and gel electrophoresis. Students analyze gene sequences with the same bioinformatic tools used by scientists worldwide. Students' DNA sequences are submitted for publication in the international DNA repository, Genbank, with each published sequence acknowledging the student by name.
Where:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Livermore, CA 94550
When:
Weekdays, July 13-24, 2026
8:30 AM–4:00 PM
Eligibility:
* Must be 16 years or older by the start of the workshop
* Students who are 18 at the start must be U.S. citizens
* Must be entering grades 11–12 in Fall 2026
* Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher
* Must attend a Northern California high school (public, charter, private, or homeschool)
* Must complete Biology and Chemistry or Integrated Science Series I and II by the end of the current school year
* In order to participate in this workshop, applicants must be eligible to access the Laboratory in compliance with the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Section 3112. The 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Section 3112, generally prohibits citizens of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea without dual US citizenship or legal permanent residence from accessing non-public areas of a national security facility like LLNL.
Additional information:
* There is NO cost to attend; the workshop is FREE.
* Students must bring their own laptops to the workshop.
* Lunch is not provided; students may bring lunch or purchase onsite.
* Students are supervised through the lunch hour.
* Students must have their own transportation to and from the workshop.
To apply submit:
1) Online application (available January 19, 2026)
2) Most recent high school transcript; unofficial copy will be accepted
3) Biology or Chemistry teacher contact information will be requested
in the application to obtain a letter of recommendation (Due March 6, 11:59 PM PST)