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Subsidized BioRender Premium license seats will become available for the School of Medicine Basic Sciences community through iLab

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The School of Medicine Basic Sciences has renewed its contract with BioRender, affording its community members the opportunity to purchase discounted access to BioRender Premium.

Beginning Sept. 1, 2026, faculty with primary appointments in the SOMBS and any of their lab members will be able to purchase a BioRender seat through Vanderbilt’s iLab service marketplace at a subsidized rate of $95 per user per year (full-price licenses are available on the BioRender website at a rate of $420 per user per year).

First-year Ph.D. students enrolled in a School of Medicine program, including those in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program and the Quantitative and Chemical Biology program, will continue to have access to the service at no cost.

All current SOMBS BioRender Premium users will be downgraded to free accounts on Sept. 1 unless a seat is purchased for them for the next year by the primary SOMBS faculty member leading their lab.

Additional information is included at the bottom of this announcement.

How to use iLab to gain access to BioRender

  1. Log into iLab and request access to the RITS core if you have not already.
  2. Upon approval, return to iLab and select BioRender from the services. Note that you will need a COA number, so it may be better or easier if the lab’s principal investigator purchases seats for their lab members instead of the lab members purchasing their own seats.
  3. Once completed, you will have access to BioRender and will log in by visiting the SOMBS BioRender portal or by clicking on the BioRender icon in your OneVU dashboard.

About BioRender

BioRender is a web-based program that helps researchers create scientific figures up to 50 times faster than traditional tools. The tool combines a library of over 50,000 scientifically accurate, expert-validated life science icons and templates with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality. BioRender allows for the creation of publication-quality figures in minutes without the need for drawing skills. Individual users can securely share figures and illustrations with their lab or team, enabling collaboration.

BioRender images created by SOMBS researchers

Graphical abstract showing the experimental procedure described in the paper. A time line indicates the steps and how long they take (step 1: 4 days; step 2: 1 day; step 3: 2 days; step 4: 5 days). The graphic uses icons to visually showcase the experimental process.
Graphical abstract from Ayres-Galhardo et al., 2025, STAR Protocols (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2025.104047). Shared through a CC BY 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Three-panel figure showcasing the structure of the collagen IV network. Panel A shows three types of collagen IV protomers found in vertebrates, each one shown in mostly blue (top, labeled α1/α1/α2), purple and red (middle, labeled α3/α4/α5), and green and blue (labeled α5/α5/α6). Panel B shows a few crooked collagen IV strands, a visualization of how the interruptions in the Gly-X-Y repeat of collagen IV impart flexibility to the network when no load is applied. Panel C shows straighter strands representative of how the slack is removed from the structure and the network stiffens under conditions of increasing tensile loads/stress. Panels B and C are primarily blue.
Figure 2 from Page-McCaw et al., 2025, Matrix Biology (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matbio.2025.08.004). Shared through a CC BY 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Multi-layered image showcasing the differences between the regeneration processes observed in zebrafish at all times and in neonatal mice sometimes and the scarring process seen in adult mice and neonatal mice sometimes. Rectangular boxes show the cellular players involved in regeneration and scarring in the brain and in the spinal cord. A key at the bottom of the image indicates which icons represent which cell types.
Figure 1 from Cellini et al., 2025, BMC Biology (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-025-02203-0). Shared through a CC BY 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Frequently asked questions

  • What are the benefits of BioRender Premium over having a free account?

    With BioRender Premium, users can create unlimited illustrations, export high-resolution images, publish illustrations in journals, request custom icons, access all content on their website, create posters with Vanderbilt’s brand colors, generate other data visualizations, and more.

  • Who can gain access to a subsidized BioRender Premium license through the SOMBS?

    Faculty with primary appointments in one of the four SOMBS departments (biochemistry, cell and developmental biology, molecular physiology and biophysics, and pharmacology) can access iLab and purchase a license for themselves and/or any of their lab members, regardless of their role.

    Note: All first-year Ph.D. students enrolled in the School of Medicine, including those in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program and the Quantitative and Chemical Biology program, will be able to set up access to BioRender Premium free of charge. When they commit to a dissertation lab and become permanent members of a research lab, it will be their principal investigator’s responsibility to purchase a license for them if they wish for the student to retain BioRender Premium access.

  • How do I log in to BioRender?

    To log in, visit the SOMBS BioRender portal. You can also visit your OneVU dashboard and click on the BioRender icon.

  • I am paying for my own subscription already, but it’s more expensive than if I purchased a seat through the SOMBS. Can I cancel it and go through iLab?

    Yes. To cancel your Paid Monthly or Annual Subscription, submit a request to support@biorender.com. Then, follow the instructions above to purchase a seat on iLab.

  • I already have a BioRender account. How do I link it to my Vanderbilt account?

    If you previously signed up for BioRender with your @vanderbilt.edu email, simply log in from the Vanderbilt University Basic Sciences Sign In Portal. Otherwise, please contact support@biorender.com.

  • I am not very familiar with the software or would like help with specific aspects of it. Where can I learn more?

    BioRender regularly hosts webinars and virtual events that showcase the software and specific use cases, such as designing graphical abstracts or grant figures. Visit their site to see upcoming trainings.

    BioRender has also teamed up with Vanderbilt to host sessions tailored for the SOMBS. You can view the recordings at any time:

  • I am not planning on purchasing access through the SOMBS license. What will happen to my account?

    Your account will be transitioned to a free account. In addition to losing access to all Premium features, your gallery will be limited to a maximum of three illustrations. If you have more than three illustrations in your gallery at the time of transition, you will retain access only to the three you have accessed most recently. Should you purchase access to BioRender Premium at any future point, you will regain access to all illustrations that you have previously created with that account.

  • I am a Ph.D. student in an SOMBS program but don’t work in an SOMBS lab. Can I get access to the SOMBS license?

    Yes. Although your PI may not have a primary appointment in the SOMBS, they will be able to purchase a seat on the SOMBS license for you. Note that neither your PI nor other non-SOMBS lab members will be allowed to access the SOMBS license. If you have questions about your eligibility, please reach out to SOMBS-RITS@vanderbilt.edu.

  • I work in a Vanderbilt Health/College of Arts and Science/School of Engineering lab. Can I get access to the SOMBS license?

    Unfortunately, no. We suggest using a free BioRender account, signing up for the Vanderbilt Health license waitlist on REDCap, or talking with your PI to see if your lab can pay for an individual license for you. If you would like to see BioRender Premium become available for your group, advocate to your PI or department head. They can reach out to julia@biorender.com for more information.

  • Who should I contact if I’m having trouble with my account?

    If you’re experiencing trouble with BioRender itself, please reach out to service@biorender.com. If you’re experiencing trouble accessing BioRender through iLab or signing up/purchasing a seat, please reach out to SOMBS-RITS@vanderbilt.edu.