May 13, 2020

Harvard-led initiative awards over $16.5 million to support 62 research projects that address most pressing challenges of COVID-19 pandemic

To address the most pressing challenges of the pandemic, the Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness (MassCPR), a multi-institutional initiative convened by Harvard Medical School to combat the disease and prepare for future outbreaks, is announcing over $16.5 million in funding to support 62 high-impact research projects.

Among MassCPR’s key partners is the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC), the state’s economic development and investment agency dedicated to supporting the growth of critical life sciences fields and initiatives in Massachusetts. Recognizing MassCPR’s ability to bring together leading scientists and researchers from across the Commonwealth to respond to the pandemic, MLSC is providing up to $2.3 million to support nine collaborative projects through the consortium.

“No single institution is going to solve this problem, but this homegrown consortium is taking a huge amount of knowledge, resources, and data and applying it collectively and collaboratively,” said Timothy J. McGourthy, interim president and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. “These grants will further our understanding of COVID-19 and strengthen our ability to combat it, and the Commonwealth is proud to support this vital work as we move toward a new normal.”