By Kirell Lakhman

San Jose State University Research Foundation plans to use a $5 million stimulus grant to help build its clinical laboratory scientist-training program, according to a news report.

The grant will help support a new initiative the school is "launching" called the California Statewide Biotechnology Clinical Laboratory Consortium Project, the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal reported Monday.

According to the article, the consortium is "designed to identify, recruit, and educate up to 200 students for jobs as medical laboratory technicians, clinical laboratory specialists, clinical genetic molecular biologists, and cytogeneticists."

Sue Gayrard, a biological sciences instructor at the school, said in a statement the project will provide “crucial support to the clinical laboratory and biotechnology industry at a time when a shortage of licensed scientists and technicians continues to challenge us."

"With this funding, clinical internships will be developed in diverse locations including acute care facilities and reference labs in both rural and urban centers,” she said.

"A key factor" in San Jose State’s "leadership in fostering critically needed education and training initiatives” is "partnerships with public and private organizations to ensure a well-prepared pipeline of graduates who can readily contribute to the success of life science and biotech companies,” San Jose State President Jon Whitmore was quoted as saying in the Business Journal report.

As part of the project, De Anza College, located in nearby Cupertino, "will work in cooperation with San Jose State to provide education for the program’s candidates," the article states.