Governor kicks off life sciences grant program

Governor Deval Patrick kicked off a $12 million grant program intended to help spark life science research in the state at an event today at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The grants, from $100,000 to $250,000, are designed to increase industry-sponsored research, attract and keep nationally known faculty at Massachusetts’ colleges, and help fund the research of new investigators working on life sciences.

The grants will be distributed by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, created by the Legislature in a 2006 economic stimulus package. The center received an initial budget of $10 million and another $15 million from a 2007 supplemental budget, making the grant program possible.

Patrick was joined by House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, Democrat of Boston, and Senate President Therese Murray, Democrat of Plymouth.

Patrick is continuing to press lawmakers on his $1 billion, 10-year life science initiative. He said he hopes to sign legislation related to the initiative soon.

DiMasi said the House was working to get a bill to the floor for a vote. Murray said the Senate was ready to take up the measure soon after the House takes action.
(AP)