Jared Auclair
Massachusetts gained international stature in the biotech industry due to continuous investment; first through a historic $1 billion investment in 2008 by then-Gov. Deval Patrick, and later with the signing of a life science bond bill by then-Gov. Charlie Baker in 2018, which infused nearly a half billion dollars into the industry to ensure continued success.
In June, Gov. Maura Healey committed to extending the 2018 bond bill and established a $50 million MassTalent workforce program to address the need for additional workforce talent in the life sciences.
Needless to say, over the past 15 years, we have seen a meteoric rise of the industry, with over 1,000 biotech companies in the state, from startups to billion-dollar corporations, and tens of billions of dollars in Massachusetts-based salaries.
However, if Massachusetts wants to remain on top in biotech, a way to do so is to invest in biomanufacturing and think beyond the life sciences hubs of Boston and Cambridge.
Biomanufacturing is what will foster innovation, remove bottlenecks when delivering life-saving drugs to patients, and provide economic opportunity to regions and groups left out – or excluded – from this lucrative industry.
How do we make this happen? There are at least three pieces to this puzzle: People power, real estate and transportation.
Grow People Power Across State
Industry professionals have known for years that Massachusetts would face a shortage of people to fill jobs across the biotech sector, including biomanufacturing. The commonwealth must prioritize looking beyond Boston and Cambridge to share opportunities for careers in biotech and how to attain the training to secure them. BioConnects New England, a consortium of nine coalition members and over 40 partners, is leveraging its resources to offer upskilling and training opportunities in biomanufacturing throughout the state.
That biotech requires an advanced degree to play is a myth. In fact, many opportunities to work in biotech with a high school diploma or associate’s degree exist. And with 42,000 new biotech jobs expected by 2032, our job is to build awareness and provide an abundance of new and creative training and upskilling paths for all biotech jobs.
One of our partners at BioConnects New England, the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, is doing just that. Their Biotechnology Certification Program is a seven-month course of study that prepares attendees for careers as entry-level technicians in biotechnology, biomanufacturing and life science laboratories. Students of the program are offered full-time, guaranteed, paid internships for 12 weeks; wrap-around services, such as stipends for living expenses, are also offered. Upon completion of the program, all students are gifted with a laptop. Other partners are offering similar training opportunities that meet participants where they are and provide them with the tools needed to achieve a successful biotech career.
Real Estate for Growth
The median rent in Cambridge is $3,500. In Boston, it’s $3,200. The average home price in Cambridge is just under $1 million, and in Boston, it’s nearly $720,000. These prices are not sustainable for many in Massachusetts, and with congested roads and a failing transportation system, getting into these cities is a commuter’s nightmare.
In order for biomanufacturing to grow and continue the biotech boom in Massachusetts, it must happen outside of Greater Boston – in Gateway Cities and in western Massachusetts, where there is more real estate (and more affordable real estate), not only for living but also for working.
Lynn, as an example, was recently granted Platinum Status under MassBio’s BioReady Program and has more than 80 acres of affordable industrial property ready for development to support biotech and biomanufacturing growth.
With all of these resources available outside Boston and Cambridge, biomanufacturing can grow the concept of “life science corridors” in Massachusetts: Boston/Kendall Square (Cambridge), Worcester, Lynn/North Shore, South Coast/New Bedford and Fall River. Biomanufacturing does require some proximity to the research and development hubs in greater Boston, but these corridors can provide easy access to the industry and a lower cost of living for workers.
Transportation Connections Critical
Access to these proposed corridors will be critical to expanding the biomanufacturing industry. Currently, the public transit system leaves much to be desired. Saddled with chronic delays, inconsistent schedules and breakdowns, the MBTA is often unreliable. In fact, the Federal Transit Administration mandated upgrades last year due to the state of the MBTA, which ironically added to already painful commutes.
If we are to extend biotech’s reach beyond Boston, improving transportation in many parts of the state will be a major component. Workers must be able to get from home to work without needing a car.
We have the resources to grow the biotech industry, but it will need more housing, transportation, and training to happen. We cannot rest on the incredible advancements we’ve made in research over the past few decades. We must continue to innovate and figure out ways to expand the industry, remove bottlenecks in both training and transportation, and get therapies to patients in need faster.
Jared Auclair is vice provost of research and economic development and director of bioinnovation at Northeastern University and co-lead of BioConnects New England.
