This month, we're celebrating the people and places who have helped make our Bioscience Entrepreneurship Experience (BEE) internship program a success.

A Message From Cory Henn, Spring 2026 BEE Pilot Intern

As a Ph.D. candidate in biology at The University of New Mexico, I never felt I fit the mold of academia. I chose science out of curiosity but always imagined my own path. When my partner and I founded Quantavo, a bioinformatics consultancy, I realized entrepreneurship was that path.

NMBSA's BEE internship program changed everything. Joining the pilot cohort connected me with Dr. Mark Brenneman and Mesa Alta Research, where I gained firsthand experience navigating the realities of biotech startup life. Mark's mentorship was invaluable, and the broader NMBSA ecosystem opened doors to a thriving New Mexico biotech community I didn't know existed.

That experience directly catalyzed our second company, Auracle Therapeutics, a deep learning platform for therapeutic target discovery.

BEE doesn't just support founders, it keeps New Mexico's scientific talent here, building companies that grow our biotech economy from the inside out. I'm proud to have been part of the pilot, and I'm staying for more.

Cory Henn, MS

PhD Candidate, UNM Biology

Spring 2026 BEE Pilot Intern

Celebrating Our Pilot Cohort

On April 24, our interns and their host companies gathered together for a final reception to celebrate their successes this semester.

From market research, to data analysis, to lab work, to website development, and much more, our 13 interns provided their companies with the tools and resources to grow their businesses right here in New Mexico.

The NMBSA would like to thank our host organizations for opening their doors to this special group of future leaders.

Our BEE interns took home three of the four awards from UNM's Anderson School of Management's Tech Navigator Challenge on April 24. Their success is a testament to the talent brewing right here in New Mexico.

Algae Aura & Algae Analytics

Stephanie Mendoza Bravo, NMSU

Anny Salas, CNM

Inward

Carey Beam

Luis Chavez, UNM

LifeScience Testing & Analysis

Whitney Abbott, UNM

David Traub, UNM

Mesa Alta Research

Ethan Garcia, UNM

Cory Henn, UNM

Rebecca Merchant, NM Tech

Prosperous Research Systems

Mohammed Hadri, UNM

Ching Lu, UNM

Tramway Ventures

Janel Ahle

Solomon Gbara, UNM

READ ABOUT THE BEE IN ABQ BUSINESS FIRST

Welcome to the Summer 2026 Cohort

We are excited to announce that we have doubled the size of our summer cohort — doubling the impact on our sector in New Mexico.

Thirteen companies across three counties will host 29 interns across six counties this summer. Most excitingly, four interns are New Mexico residents attending school out of state. They will have the opportunity to build relationships for their path back home once they graduate.

We received 82 applications from 11 New Mexico counties—far exceeding our expectations. If your company is interested in taking advantage of this tremendous talent across the state, please contact Irene Gray.

Albuquerque Clinical Trials

Chiara Martinez, UNM

Kyra Clevinger, UNM

Algae Aura & Algae Analytics

Michelle Clark, NMSU

Ching Lu

Creative LIBS Solutions

Andrea Larquier, CNM

Samantha Lopez-Burton, NMSU

Lydia Miller

Jered Pino, NMSU

Functional Flow Solutions

Rosa Maria Trujillo, NM Tech

Rori Cain, CNM

NeuroGeneces

Charlotte Kocon, Scripps College

Lili Devon, Smith College

LifeScience Testing & Analysis

Whitney Abbott, UNM

Sophia Kassow, CO School of Mines

Mesa Alta Research

Jackson Cialkowski, UNM

Ethan Garcia, UNM

Cory Henn, UNM

Rebecca Merchant, NM Tech

Prosperous Research Systems

Mohammed Hadri, UNM

Santa Fe Business Incubator

Liz Solis, UNM

Shweta Argawal, UNM

Tramway Ventures

Janel Ahle

Solomon Gbara

Dhruv Grandhe, UPenn

UpSpring Associates

John Garay, UNM

Diane Peshlakai, UNM

YEEO Eco-Safe

Brittany Simpson, CNM

Vitazi, ai

Shefali Mandal, NM Tech

NM Bioscience Connect EcoMap Has a New Look

The NM Bioscience Connect EcoMap has been refreshed to be even more accessible to innovators across the state.

The new platform no longer requires a login to access our database of NM-based bioscience companies, jobs, upcoming bioscience events, start-up assistance and funding opportunities.

Modules can be filtered by type, location, and date. You can even submit your own company or event for inclusion—and more is still to come!