From global companies expanding in Massachusetts to the next generation of entrepreneurs and members of the life sciences workforce, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) partners, programs, and awardees were on full display for this year’s MassBio State of Possible Conference. The conference’s theme, Behind the Breakthrough, reflected the shared foundation of the MLSC and MassBio, highlighting the people, partnerships, and investments that help translate scientific discovery into groundbreaking solutions.
Governor Maura Healey joined leaders from across the ecosystem to discuss what sustains the Commonwealth’s leadership in life sciences innovation and the importance of ensuring companies can launch, grow, and scale in Massachusetts. Her remarks emphasized the role of strategic investments and public-private collaboration in maintaining the state’s competitive position, including Yang (Claire) Zeng, MD, PhD and her company DoriNano, who was supported through the MLSC’s Massachusetts Next Generation (MassNextGen) Initiative, which supports early-stage entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds. Additionally, Governor Healey recognized a variety of companies located in Massachusetts who have been supported through the MLSC’s Tax Incentive program, which helps companies expand operations and create jobs in the Commonwealth.
Following her remarks, Governor Healey joined the panel, The State of Life Sciences: Innovation, Leadership, and Massachusetts’s Global Role, which explored how Massachusetts continues to set the global standard in biomedical innovation by turning transformative research into monumental breakthroughs. The discussion featured leaders throughout the industry, including Biogen President and CEO Christopher Viehbacher, and highlighted the partnerships that support the Commonwealth’s position as the premier hub for the life sciences.
Industry leaders such as Biogen play a central role in Massachusetts’ success. Throughout its more than 40 year history in Cambridge, the company has built a longstanding relationship with the MLSC. Biogen has leveraged the Center’s Tax Incentive program to add over 750 jobs, served as an industry partner on four Bits to Bytes grants, supported the Neuroscience Consortium with $1.7 million in funding, and hosted two lab training programs through the MLSC’s High School Apprenticeship Challenge.
In the afternoon, the conference highlighted the next generation of biotech leaders, including a standout MLSC awardee. MassNextGen entrepreneur Joanna Stanicka, PhD, founder of Axonis Therapeutics, joined the panel, Biotech CEOs on the Frontlines, to discuss the opportunities and challenges companies face when advancing novel therapeutic platforms.
In 2024, Axonis Therapeutics announced the successful completion of a $115 million Series A financing to support the development of first- and best-in-class medicines for neurological disorders, the largest funding round ever achieved by a MassNextGen awardee. As the company has grown, it has also leveraged the MLSC’s internship programming, receiving more than $143,800 in support to hire eight interns between 2020 and 2023.
Since its founding in 2018, the MassNextGen portfolio has grown to 39 companies, including 19 previous awardees that have raised a seed or Series A financing round. To date, MassNextGen companies have raised more than $401 million in follow-on funding. Applications are currently open for the latest cohort, alongside new opportunities through the MLSC’s Impact Catalyst program designed to advance high-risk translational research in areas historically lacking investment proportional to disease burden.
Later in the afternoon, the conference focused on another key aspect of the ecosystem, the life sciences workforce pipeline. Bioversity graduate Jamall Leslie, now a Critical Support Technician at Flagship Lab Services, shared his career journey and discussed how workforce training programs can open doors to careers in the life sciences.
Bioversity is one of several workforce training partners supported through the MLSC’s Pathmaker program, which funds industry-aligned training initiatives designed to prepare participants for careers in the life sciences while helping employers meet evolving workforce needs.
To date, the MLSC has invested $13.5 million in Pathmaker training organizations across Massachusetts, supporting more than 1,200 training opportunities and connecting graduates with 101 companies located throughout the life sciences sector.
From supporting global companies and emerging startups to strengthening the workforce pipeline, the stories highlighted at this year’s State of Possible Conference reflected the full reach of the MLSC’s investments across the life sciences ecosystem. Through a continued focus on innovation, talent development, and partnerships, the Center is helping to ensure Massachusetts remains the number one place to start, grow, and thrive in the life sciences.
Applications for several MLSC programs are now open, including internship programming, the Tax Incentive program with a deadline of March 31, 2026, at 1 p.m. EST, and both Impact Catalyst and MassNextGen with a deadline of June 12, 2026, at 1 p.m. EST.
Click here to learn more about the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center’s available funding opportunities, which support companies, entrepreneurs, and talent at every stage of the Massachusetts life sciences industry.
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