The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) hosted its inaugural Convening of the Cores, bringing together leaders from industry and academia to showcase the advanced scientific equipment and shared facilities supported through MLSC investments across the Commonwealth.
Held at The Engine in Cambridge, the event highlighted the critical role that cutting-edge, publicly accessible research infrastructure plays in driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and supporting economic growth in Massachusetts. Core facility directors, academic and industry scientists, equipment providers, and other members of the life sciences ecosystem gathered to showcase and discuss state-of-the-art tools ranging from advanced microscopy and imaging systems to mass spectrometry, multi-omics platforms, and biorepository resources.
The Convening of the Cores featured remarks from MLSC leadership, recent MLSC awardees from participating core facilities, and Platinum sponsor ONI, demonstrating how state-funded infrastructure and equipment accelerates commercialization and supports scientific breakthroughs. Other technology sponsors participated through tabletop demonstrations, engaging attendees in discussions about advanced equipment and capabilities.
Many of the featured facilities were established or expanded through the MLSC’s Research Infrastructure program, which provides capital funding to universities, hospitals, and nonprofit research organizations. Equipment supported through these programs is required to remain open to users across Massachusetts, ensuring broad access for startups, academic investigators, and industry partners alike.
To further promote awareness and utilization of these assets, the MLSC also maintains two public-facing tools: the Research Equipment Database (R.E.D.), which enables researchers to identify and access MLSC-funded equipment statewide, and the Database, Algorithms, Tools, and Analyses (D.A.T.A.) Repository, which provides access to shared digital resources that advance scientific collaboration.
The MLSC extends its sincere thanks to the event sponsors and partners who made this Convening possible, as well as to the g core facilities from across the Commonwealth whose work exemplifies the power of shared infrastructure to advance science and innovation.
Sponsors: ONI, LifeCanvas Technologies, Evident Scientific, Carl Zeiss Microscopy, 10xGenomics, Bruker, ThermoFisher Scientific, and Waters Corporation.
View the Event Map.
View examples of core facilities funded by the MLSC.
Click here to learn more about the research infrastructure and equipment funding opportunities available from the MLSC.
