Cloud-connected pluripotent stem cell platform enhances scientific identity in underrepresented students

Stem cell research offers unique opportunities for authentic scientific engagement, yet infrastructure requirements have confined participation to elite institutions, perpetuating workforce disparities. We developed an integrated framework combining stem cell engineering, cloud-connected microscopy, and psychometric assessment. The framework integrates a doxycycline-inducible NGN2 mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) system, low-cost cloud microscopy, and the Stem Cell Research Identity Scale (SCRIS). Implementation across a high school and a community college demonstrated significant increases in scientific identity. Students using differentiating PSCs showed broader science identity gains than those using neuroblastoma cells, particularly in competence, research readiness, and recognition. High school students showed enhanced research competence gains compared to community college students despite equivalent intervention duration. Demographic analyses revealed enhanced effectiveness for Hispanic and first-generation college students. This framework provides a scalable model for broadening participation in biomedical research.