IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Arnold & Mabel Beckman Foundation today announced University Lab Partners (ULP) as the latest recipient of a Beckman Orange County Community Support Grant, issuing a $25,000 partnership award for the BioInnovators Program to help inspire the next generation of STEM students.  

This funding will enable ULP's BioInnovators Program to work with OC high school students committed to publishing their research or competing at OCSEF by providing a robust framework for student success through experiential learning, expert mentorship, and access to industry-grade research infrastructure.

Empowering Tomorrow's Innovators

The 2025 BioInnovators Program invites high-school students committed to publishing research or competing at the OC Science & Engineering Fair (OCSEF). Participants engage in 22 professional wet-lab sessions over two half-days per week, supported by mentors and a teacher sponsor, totaling up to 50 hours of lab training and coaching. Students develop foundational research skills across experimental design, data analysis, lab safety, and scientific communication.

"This grant from the Beckman Foundation for the BioInnovators Program strengthens our ability to demystify life-science research for the BioInnovators of tomorrow," said Sandy Miller, Executive Director at University Lab Partners. "With the Beckman Foundation's support, we're excited to inspire the next generation of STEM innovators right here in Orange County."

Through its University Lab Partners Initiative, the Beckman Foundation highlights ULP's impact:

• Startup ecosystem support: Since 2019, ULP has hosted over 70 early-stage companies at its Irvine and Aliso Viejo wet lab facilities.
• STEM education and workforce development: Since 2021, more than 3,000 students have participated in ULP programs including one-day lab immersions, microbiology courses, internships/apprenticeships, and the flagship BioInnovators Program.

"We're thrilled to support the BioInnovators program, to provide immersive, hands-on lab experiences in state-of-the-art facilities for local STEM students, fostering scientific inquiry and growth," shared Dr. Anne Hultgren, Executive Director of the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. "University Lab Partners is preparing and inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders as they participate in science and engineering fairs, pursue publication, and take important steps forward in their academic careers and beyond. We're proud to partner with them in these endeavors."

Building a Strong Innovation Pipeline

With the Foundation's support, ULP will continue to expand opportunities where academic curiosity meets real-world biotech workspaces. The synergy between ULP's entrepreneurial infrastructure and the Beckman Foundation's legacy of advancing science equips students and startups with access to mentorship, research-grade equipment, and an innovation-rich community.

"Thank you Beckman Foundation! This is the best possible opportunity I could get as a high-schooler… I'm incredibly grateful to be at ULP and I can't wait to see where this can take me." — Anna Nguyen, ULP Student

About the Arnold & Mabel Beckman Foundation

Located in Irvine, California, the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation supports researchers and nonprofit research institutions in making the next generation of breakthroughs in chemistry and the life sciences. Founded in 1977 by 20th century scientific instrumentation pioneer Dr. Arnold O. Beckman, the Foundation supports United States institutions and young scientists whose creative, high-risk, and interdisciplinary research will lead to innovations and new tools and methods for scientific discovery. For more information, visit beckman-foundation.org.

About University Lab Partners

ULP is a nonprofit that fosters life-science innovation through three core pillars: State-of-the-art wet lab facilities for early-stage startups, accelerator programs that support company growth and development, and workforce development initiatives that prepare and inspire the next generation of STEM leaders. ULP is a nonprofit providing wet-lab infrastructure for early-stage life-science startups, accelerator support, and immersive STEM education.

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SOURCE University Lab Partners