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WORCESTER – A new Center for Biocomputing to help companies and research institutions accelerate the work on drug discovery and development work is taking shape, thanks in part to a $150,000 investment by the John Adams Innovation Institute. Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives received the money to develop the new center, in partnership with the UMass Medical School, Gene-IT, Hypomatrix, and Massachusetts General Hospital.

The investment to create the new center will focus on four outcomes:

“Life sciences companies, health care institutions and university research centers have an increasing need to access vast amounts of publicly available biocomputing data and then analyze and interpret this data to move their scientific research forward.” explained Joseph Downing, COO of the John Adams Innovation Institute. 

CAMBRIDGE – The Massachusetts Space Grant Consortium at MIT received an initial $100,000 matching investment to support the aerospace industry in Massachusetts, leveraging an award by NASA.

The investment supports efforts by the Executive Office of Economic Development, the John Adams Innovation Institute, the Massachusetts Defense Technology Initiative, and others to promote the interrelated activities of the defense, aerospace and homeland security clusters in the Commonwealth and to increase the potential of additional federal funding for research and facilities.

Under the initial investment, the Massachusetts Space Grant Consortium will undertake a survey of aerospace, defense, telecom and electronics industries, create a directory of companies, build a web site, host a business roundtable and conduct an entrepreneur competition with a $10,000 prize.

Headquartered at MIT, the broad consortium includes 19 educational and research institutions, stretching from Cape Cod to Williamstown. The colleges and universities include: Boston University, Framingham State, Harvard University, Tufts, WPI, Holy Cross, Williams, Wellesley, and the Five College Astronomy Department (Amherst, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke, Smith, and UMass Amherst). Also included are the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole and the Boston Museum of Science.

Current industry partners include Lincoln Labs, Mide Technology, MITRE, Payload Systems, Raytheon, Draper Laboratories, GE Aircraft Engines, Aerodyne Research, AeroAstro, David Clark Co., and Avidyne.

“Our desire at the John Adams Innovation Institute is to help build a collaborative framework leading to the growth of the defense, aerospace and homeland security clusters in Massachusetts,” said Robert Kispert, Director of Federal and University programs at the John Adams Innovation Institute. “This investment will help to jumpstart that effort and identify potential market opportunities.”

LOWELL – The UMass Lowell will conduct two pilot projects at the Massachusetts BioManufacturing Center, funded by a $150,000 matching investment by the John Adams Innovation Institute.

The purpose of the award, which received high marks in an external competitive review, is to validate and support the business viability of the center, which is focused on improving the quality and cost of large-scale biomanufacturing.

The center, which seeks to help biotech companies move more effectively from research & development to manufacturing of new products in Massachusetts, is underwritten by a partnership of biotech industry leaders, academic research institutions, and state and local officials.

Industry partners include leading biotech companies such as Nova Biomedical, Antigenics, Cambrex, Genzyme, Invensys, Millenium, and Wyeth.  Academic partners include UMass Dartmouth, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Tufts.  

“This strategic investment by the Innovation Institute supports development in a sustained way,” explained Patrick Larkin, Director of the John Adams Innovation Institute. “For our leading biotech companies, going from R&D to manufacturing should not also mean moving from Massachusetts to North Carolina or one of our other competitors—those jobs belong right here.”

“We are proud to be on the cutting edge of advanced manufacturing,” says UMass Lowell Chancellor William T. Hogan. “The Biomanufacturing Center is already helping biotech firms.  These funds will expand the reach of the center—thereby helping UMass Lowell fulfill its mission of promoting sustainable economic development.”

FALL RIVER – An investment of $79,645 to the Advanced Technology Manufacturing Center, operated by UMass Dartmouth, is targeted to enhance the capacity of the ATMC and demonstrate the development of a prototype of a micro-machined bio-sensor that can be used in both the medical device industry and the marine science sectors.

Three companies, including YSI Environmental. JPS Laser, and Waters Corporation, are supporting the effort. ATMC has also obtained more than $68,000 in matching support .

The money will be used to upgrade ATMC’s micro-machining capability and offer product development assistance to small- and medium-sized medical device companies to attract new industry to the region.

Through this highly focused, strategic effort, ATMC’s goal is to support the growth of existing medical device companies in Southeastern Massachusetts and, at the same time, attract new investment and corporate activity in the region.

“The investment in the work of the Advanced Technology Manufacturing Center in Fall River by the Innovation Institute provides targeted dollars that can help to create new jobs and open the door for new companies, expanding the medical device industry in Southeastern Massachusetts,” said State Rep. Michael Rodrigues.