The goal of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Collaborative is to create a cross-sector collaboration that can both sustain dialogue among life sciences leaders in academia, industry and government and also over time develop a comprehensive, integrated strategy to grow the life sciences mega-cluster in Massachusetts. To be clear, when we use the term “cluster,” we are using it in the broadest possible way to include the activities of our world-class universities, teaching hospitals and research institutions, our biotechnology, medical device and pharmaceutical companies, as well as the many software, venture capital, plastics and IT companies that contribute to the growth and vitality of the cluster. The Collaborative will include all of these stakeholders.

Currently, Massachusetts has a myriad of public and private programs and initiatives that are supporting the growth of individual sectors of the life sciences cluster, as well as vigorous and effective trade associations in biotechnology, medical devices and pharmaceuticals and other organizations that include teaching and community hospitals and health care research. But the Commonwealth has yet to develop an overarching strategy that integrates the disparate elements of the cluster, identifies the obstacles to full economic and competitive potential,  creates a path and direction that will ensure that Massachusetts maintains and builds upon its preeminence in life sciences research, development and commercialization, and that supports the effort with an administrative, financial and staff structure that can insure sustainability and results.  The Commonwealth must be positioned to resist and counter the aggressive efforts of other States—and countries—to challenge our position and draw away talent and resources from the state.

The importance and need for this initiative has been acknowledged already by the strong financial support provided by the Boston Foundation, the University of Massachusetts, Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’ Innovation Institute and also by the administrative and staff support provided by MTC’s John Adams Innovation Institute. The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, the Medical Device Industry Council, the New England Healthcare Institute, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council have endorsed the initiative. Unlike other initiatives in the life sciences undertaken by business and trade associations as one part of their broader public policy agenda, our initiative is solely dedicated on a multi-year basis to achieving the objectives of sustainable collaboration among life sciences stakeholders and the development of a comprehensive and integrated strategic plan for life sciences growth in the Commonwealth.