New York Bioforce

New York Bioforce is a free science research training and paid internship program from HYPOTHEkids for New York City public and charter high school juniors and seniors from low-resource backgrounds. It runs in two phases. In Phase I, students complete 50 hours of life science research and professional skills training, mostly in Saturday sessions at Columbia University's Morningside and Manhattanville campuses, plus some virtual weeknight seminars. In Phase II, students are placed in a six-week paid summer internship of about 25 hours per week, working with a mentor in a research lab or health care facility. Past placements include Columbia Engineering and Weill Cornell Medicine. Training topics include biomedical engineering, molecular biology, data science, clinical science, and skills like resume writing and interview prep. At the end, students can present their research at a poster session at the American Museum of Natural History. The 2026 program ran from April 4 to August 14, 2026.

Students must be in 11th or 12th grade at an NYCDOE public or charter high school and show educational or economic need, either by attending a school with an Economic Need Index of 0.8 (80%) or higher or through family income that qualifies for Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, or similar aid. Students must be able to attend Saturday training sessions in the spring. No prior research experience is required. The application asks for a one-page resume (PDF), an unofficial transcript, and a 300-word essay answering one of two prompts.