Funding made possible through Massachusetts Life Sciences Center’s Research Infrastructure, STEM Equipment & Professional Development, & Workforce Development Capital Grant programming
WORCESTER, Mass. — This week, the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) announced more than $30.5 million in funding to support life sciences innovation, workforce, and STEM education across Massachusetts. The announcement was made during the grand opening celebration of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives (MBI) Pilot Biomanufacturing Center. MBI’s expansion, supported through $3.5 million in MLSC funding, adds 10 new biomanufacturing labs to support startup companies in process development and early-stage manufacturing. The facility also includes 10 new support offices on the second floor overlooking the labs.
“The Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to providing critical funding to support key areas of our innovation economy such as the life sciences,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Through strategic investments and partnerships across our state, we can drive economic and workforce opportunities for our residents and breakthrough advancements that improve patient outcomes around the world.”
“Today’s announcement represents our steadfast commitment to driving public-private partnerships and strategic investments that increase our state’s global leadership in the life sciences,” said Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll. “Our Administration is incredibly proud of the potential these projects offer to support critical infrastructure, groundbreaking science, and workforce development for the Commonwealth.”
The funding announced today was made possible through the MLSC’s Research Infrastructure, STEM Equipment and Professional Development, and Workforce Development Capital grant programs. Projects funded through the Research Infrastructure program are also leveraging matching funds for a combined total of more than $24 million committed by the recipient institutions and their partners. New and expanded life sciences curricula at nearly 60 schools, colleges, and non-profit training organizations are being supported through the STEM Equipment and Professional Development and Workforce Development Capital grant programs.
“Massachusetts is home to the most robust life sciences hub in the world, and the Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to lengthening our lead in the sector and accelerating growth at all levels of our life sciences ecosystem,” said Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao, who serves as Co-Chair of the MLSC Board of Directors. “Supporting world-leading research and development, while also creating opportunities in STEM and strengthening our workforce pipeline, go hand in hand for our state. We’re pleased to announce this funding to support job growth, research, and innovation in the life sciences.”
Research Infrastructure Program
Applicants to the Research Infrastructure program are required to demonstrate the potential of their project to fill a gap or accelerate growth in the Massachusetts life sciences ecosystem. Additionally, they must provide specific details on how the equipment will be shared and marketed to other prospective industry and academic partners. Moreover, awardee institutions are required to regularly report usage of MLSC-funded equipment by external partners, including use by academic and industry scientists.
Awardees Include:
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | A Cryo-Transmission Electron Microscope Facility for Western MA | $1,655,774 |
| Brigham and Women’s Hospital | Ultrahigh-Resolution Molecular Imaging for Accelerated Drug Development in Massachusetts | $2,402,909 |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | Expanding light microscopy offerings to enhance biomedical training and research in Western Massachusetts | $1,555,276 |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. | Immunotherapy Platform for Antibody and CAR Therapeutics Discovery and Translation (IMPACT2) | $2,715,438 |
| Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health | Advanced BioImaging Center for Pathogens in BSL3 Containment | $1,850,084 |
| University of Massachusetts Boston | Spatial Transcriptomics: In Situ Tissue-Based Gene Expression Profiling at the Cellular Level | $1,288,464 |
| University of Massachusetts Medical School | Visualizing the Next Frontier in Biology: Massachusetts NMR Consortium | $2,331,635 |
| Marine Biological Laboratory | Building Capacity and a Community for Correlative Imaging Technology in Southeastern Massachusetts | $4,352,818.75 |
STEM Equipment & Teacher Professional Development Program
This round of the Center’s STEM Equipment and Professional Development Grant Program is anticipated to serve more than 17,300 students at 40 schools. More than 280 teachers will receive professional development opportunities through this funding round. The program seeks to prepare students for life sciences careers by enabling schools to purchase lab equipment, materials, supplies, and technology, as well as provide teacher professional development that supports implementation of advanced curricula and standards alignment. Funding has served more than 280 schools in all 14 Massachusetts counties, all 26 Gateway Cities, and nearly 38 percent of all public middle and high school students.
Awardees Include:
| Assabet Valley Regional Vocational School District | $88,607 |
| Athol Royalston Regional School District | $64,716 |
| Ayer Shirley Regional School District | $53,233 |
| Bellingham Public Schools | $25,360 |
| Boston Collegiate Charter School | $39,000 |
| Boston Public Schools | $42,056 |
| Bourne Public Schools | $108,557.43 |
| East Bridgewater Public Schools | $179,973 |
| Gloucester Public Schools | $6,685 |
| Hampden Charter School of Science East | $7,756 |
| Hampden Charter School of Science West | $5,206 |
| Leicester Public Schools | $75,263 |
| Lowell Public Schools | $81,363 |
| Lynn Public Schools | $160,000 |
| Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science | $113,940 |
| Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation | $147,154 |
| Milford Public Schools | $119,800 |
| Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School District | $116,632 |
| New Bedford Public Schools | $120,000 |
| Palmer Public Schools | $24,512 |
| Peabody Public Schools | $116,987 |
| Pittsfield Public Schools | $123,100 |
| Prospect Hill Academy Charter School | $55,000 |
| South Hadley Public Schools | $49,374 |
| Winthrop Public Schools | $129,000 |
Workforce Development Capital Grant Program
Funding through the Center’s Workforce Development Capital Grant program is anticipated to serve more than 4,000 students. The program seeks to further the development and expansion of life sciences education and training programs offered by post-secondary academic institutions and non-profit organizations through capital investment in industry-aligned certificate and degree programs.
Awardees Include:
| Bridgewater State University | $623,400 |
| Clark University | $750,000 |
| Dean College | $615,917 |
| Emmanuel College | $581,416 |
| Fitchburg State University | $746,316 |
| Framingham State University | $503,314 |
| Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute | $111,439 |
| LabCentral Ignite (Career Forge) | $668,773 |
| Lasell University | $744,629 |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | $626,536 |
| Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | $750,000 |
| Merrimack College | $750,000 |
| Nubian Square Ascends (Joint Project): | |
| Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation | $740,890 |
| Northeastern University | $725,762 |
| Roxbury Community College | $23,000 |
| Roxbury Community College | $222,153 |
| University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | $375,000 |
| University of Massachusetts Lowell | $746,756 |
