Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) President and CEO Dr. Kirk Taylor and members of the MLSC team recently joined leaders from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), along with industry partners and students to celebrate the opening of the university’s new CellTech Institute, a training facility designed to provide students with hands-on experience using advanced technologies that are shaping the future of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and biomedical research.
Supported by a $731,000 capital grant from the MLSC, the CellTech Institute provides students with industry-relevant training that reflects the evolving needs of life sciences companies. The facility will help expand workforce development opportunities for college students while strengthening the talent pipeline that supports Massachusetts’ globally ranked life sciences ecosystem.
“The future of the life sciences industry will be shaped by a highly skilled workforce with experience in the cutting-edge equipment driving scientific breakthroughs today,” said MLSC President and CEO Kirk Tayor, MD. “The CellTech Institute provides students with valuable hands-on training and direct access to emerging technologies that will help them succeed in a rapidly evolving industry while addressing the growing demand for talent across the Commonwealth’s life sciences ecosystem. We are proud to support WPI’s efforts in preparing the next generation of industry leaders.”
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, President Taylor met with participants in the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) eXperience program, an all-expenses-paid summer immersion program that introduces community college and undergraduate students to careers in biomanufacturing and the biopharmaceutical industry. WPI is serving as the Northeast regional host site for this year’s cohort, welcoming 15 students from across the country to gain exposure to the technologies and career pathways shaping the future of the industry.
This grant brings the MLSC’s total investment in WPI to more than $10.4 million. The MLSC has also sponsored over 530 internships for WPI students since 2009 through its Internship Challenge, a program that enables small life sciences companies to host paid college interns.
