CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) announced the recipient of the Susan Windham-Bannister Life Sciences Intern Award today at LabCentral in Cambridge. This award, named after the MLSC’s first President and CEO, honors a participant of the MLSC’s Internship Challenge who has made an outstanding contribution to the growth and success of their host company.
This year’s award was proudly presented to Cathy Hoang, a 2025 graduate of Tufts University. During her internship at the Cambridge-based biotechnology company InnDura Therapeutics, Cathy demonstrated leadership, creativity, and a strong collaborative spirit, qualities that exemplify Dr. Windham-Bannister’s legacy.
“The Internship Challenge is one of the MLSC’s most enduring and impactful programs, contributing to the Commonwealth’s innovation ecosystem by expanding the pool of young workers exploring career opportunities in the life sciences and providing startups and early-stage companies with access to talent,” said Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister. “Many interns are offered full-time employment at their host companies, so the program also helps retain the talent that we are training here in the Commonwealth. I continue to be amazed by how many interns have become industry leaders and now hire interns of their own through the program. They have proven to be meaningful, often unique, contributors to their companies, bringing new energy and fresh perspectives. I applaud the MLSC for recognizing their contributions with this annual award, and I am so honored to have it named after me.”
The Internship Challenge represents a core part of the Commonwealth’s workforce development strategy, expanding access to paid, real-world experiences for students and recent graduates interested in careers in the life sciences. Each year, the program places hundreds of interns at innovative small companies across Massachusetts, helping employers strengthen their organizations while giving young professionals the skills, exposure, and connections needed to thrive in the industry.
“Massachusetts’ life sciences leadership depends on developing the next generation of talent,” said Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development Eric Paley, who also serves as co-chair of the MLSC Board of Directors. “The MLSC Internship Challenge helps connect emerging leaders with the companies driving the future of life sciences.”
Today’s event included Massachusetts Economic Development Undersecretary Zenobia Moochhala, MLSC President and CEO Dr. Kirk Taylor, and LabCentral CEO Maggie O’Toole. Additionally, Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister, whose vision and leadership helped establish the Internship Challenge as a cornerstone of the ecosystem, provided remarks virtually to share her reflections on the program’s legacy and congratulate this year’s honorees.
“Massachusetts’ global leadership in the life sciences has always been powered by talent,” said Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development Undersecretary of Business Strategies Zenobia Moochhala. “The MLSC Internship Challenge gives students and recent graduates a front-row seat to innovation while helping our companies access emerging talent. By creating meaningful pathways into the industry, the program strengthens the workforce that will drive the sector’s future growth and helps ensure that talent trained in Massachusetts can build its future here.”
Since the program’s inception in 2009, the Internship Challenge has funded more than 7,500 internships with over 1,200 organizations for students from nearly 300 different academic institutions.
“The honorees recognized through today’s ceremony exemplify the talent, initiative, and curiosity that continue to drive Massachusetts’ life sciences ecosystem forward,” said MLSC President and CEO Kirk Taylor, MD. “Cathy, and all of this year’s nominees, made exceptional contributions to their organizations, and their accomplishments emphasize the lasting impact of the MLSC’s Internship Challenge on life science companies across the Commonwealth.”
In addition to the award recipient, the MLSC also recognized a runner-up, three “outstanding contribution” recipients, and the five host companies that nominated these former interns.
“The InnDura team entrusted me with significant responsibility early in my internship, which allowed me to develop as a scientist and independently design and execute experiments that informed key project decisions,” said Cathy Hoang, winner of the Susan Windham-Bannister Life Sciences Intern Award. “I am grateful for the opportunities and challenges provided through the MLSC and its Internship Challenge over the past several years, as well as for the support and infrastructure they provide to innovative startups like InnDura.”
“At a small startup like InnDura, every person makes an outsized impact,” said InnDura Therapeutics Chief Scientific Officer Nikola Ivica, PhD. “Cathy made that difference from day one through her integrity, curiosity, dedication, and generosity as a teammate. Her work ethic and character are worthy of the Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister legacy, and we could not be prouder to see her receive this recognition. We are excited that Cathy is an integral member of InnDura today, and we look forward to seeing her pursue a PhD in the future and pave her own path in the biomedical field. On behalf of InnDura Therapeutics, I would like to thank MLSC CEO Dr. Kirk Taylor and the entire MLSC team for supporting small companies like ours with a rare combination of long-term vision, practical efficiency, and genuine commitment to the Massachusetts life sciences community.”
Award honorees include:
Cathy Hoang, Award Winner
InnDura Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
Cathy Hoang graduated from Tufts University in 2025 with a degree in Biochemistry. During her internship at InnDura Therapeutics, Cathy demonstrated exceptional performance across a broad range of experimental disciplines. She rapidly developed proficiency in molecular cloning, lentiviral vector production, engineering of reporter and primary immune cells, as well as the execution of complex functional assays. Her work demonstrated independence, initiative, and scientific maturity, qualities that exemplify Dr. Windham-Bannister’s legacy. Following her internship, Cathy was offered a full-time position at InnDura, where she now works as a Research Associate on the company’s Research and Development team.
About InnDura Therapeutics:
InnDura Therapeutics is developing in vivo engineered polytypic cell therapies for autoimmune diseases and cancer. Its proprietary EVE16™ platform enables high-precision engineering of immune cells directly inside the body through targeted mRNA delivery and engineered immune receptor biology. This approach harnesses the natural diversity and scalability of the immune system while avoiding the complexity, cost, and logistical constraints of traditional cell therapies.
Shreyas Rai, Award Runner-Up
MelliCell, Watertown, MA
A Computer Science major at University of Massachusetts Amherst, Shreyas Rai served as a Data Scientist intern for the Information Systems team at MelliCell. In this role, he designed and implemented a sophisticated user interface for quality control of a custom AI-guided processes for high-content image analysis and small molecule biochemistry. His work significantly advanced several priority projects for the company, and he demonstrated remarkable technical and communication skills within the team.
About MelliCell:
MelliCell Inc. is a biotechnology company developing an oral pill for obesity, intellectual disability, and dementia by targeting a shared genetic switch at the root of all three diseases. Using an exclusive discovery engine, MelliCell discovered that this switch reverses obesity in animals without the muscle and bone loss that occur with GLP-1s. It also rescues intellectual disability in preclinical models and controls genes like amyloid precursor, which causes early-onset Alzheimer’s when duplicated. MelliCell has won awards and will be conducting first-in-human clinical trials next year to test initial proof of concept of all three indications.
Deniz Aydag, Outstanding Contribution
ReachAble Technology, Cambridge, MA
A Mechanical Engineering major with a minor in Aerospace Engineering at Northeastern University, Deniz Aydag produced consistently remarkable results across both manufacturing and product development during his internship at ReachAble Technology. During his role as a Design and Manufacturing Engineer on the Research and Development team, he improved manufacturing processes and supported prototyping efforts for assistive technologies designed to improve independence for individuals with upper-extremity challenges.
About ReachAble Technology:
ReachAble Technology is a Cambridge-based assistive technology company focused on improving daily independence for individuals with upper-extremity challenges. Its flagship product, the OmniCuff, is a versatile, modular device that enables people to securely hold and use everyday objects, such as utensils, grooming tools, or technology, through an innovative magnetic-mechanical system.
Elyse Moores, Outstanding Contribution
Apollon Inc., Cambridge, MA
An Electrical Engineering with Computing major at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Elyse Moores made significant contributions to Apollon’s Optical Engineering team during her internship. After hands-on experiences on the in-vitro tissue phantom experiments, Elyse identified opportunities to improve the company’s testing process through automation. She independently designed and developed an automated system which streamlined testing and is now routinely used by the company to evaluate new glucose monitoring systems. Her work during her internship period resulted in multiple conference presentations and several manuscripts as both a first author and co-author, which is incredibly impressive.
About Apollon Inc.:
Apollon Inc. is the developer of needle-free continuous glucose monitors designed to improve comfort and adherence in diabetes care. The company builds wearable continuous glucose monitoring devices that use spectroscopy to target specific wavelengths for high-sensitivity measurements without skin penetration, providing individuals with diabetes an accurate, compact, and more affordable way to continuously track glucose levels without the pain and irritation of needles.
Jennifer Zhen Ni Goh, Outstanding Contribution
Anthology Biotechnologies, Cambridge, MA
During her internship at Anthology Biotechnologies, Jennifer Zhen Ni Goh rapidly advanced from trainee to independent contributor, supporting synthetic biology and fungal engineering initiatives. Her work included expanding CRISPR-based genome editing tools, developing mutagenesis workflows, and improving screening protocols that continue to support the company’s technology development efforts to this day.
About Anthology Biotechnologies:
Anthology Biotechnologies is the developer of a genome evolution technology designed to scale biomanufacturing. The company offers integrated genetics, hardware, and artificial intelligence-driven protein engineering capabilities, enabling biopharmaceutical companies and industrial biotechnology firms to achieve cost-efficient and scalable protein production.
About the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center
The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) is a quasi-public economic development investment agency dedicated to supporting the growth and development of the life sciences in Massachusetts, home to the most verdant and productive life sciences ecosystem in the world. Through public-private funding initiatives, the MLSC supports innovation, research and development, commercialization, and manufacturing activities in the fields of biopharma, medical device, diagnostics and digital health. Since 2008, the MLSC has strategically deployed more than $1.1 billion in Massachusetts, through a combination of grants, loans, capital infrastructure investments, tax incentives and workforce development programs. These investments have created thousands of jobs and propelled the development of new therapies, devices and scientific advancements that are improving patient health and well-being in Massachusetts and beyond.
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