BOSTON—Gov. Deval Patrick kicked off the start of a $12 million grant program intended to help spark life science research in the state at an event Monday at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The grants range from $100,000 to $250,000 and 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 at the event by House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, D-Boston, and Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth.
The announcement came as Patrick continued to press lawmakers on his $1 billion, 10-year life science initiative.
Patrick said he hoped to sign legislation related to the initiative soon. DiMasi said the House was working to get the legislation to the floor for a vote. Murray said the Senate was ready to take up the measure soon after the House takes action on the bill.
