NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced this week that the state has committed $2.7 million to expand and equip the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute (GMGI).
Located on Gloucester Bay, the GMGI was founded in 2013 to conduct marine and fishery research using the biotechnology expertise in nearby Boston and Cambridge. The institute also runs a program designed to train local high school graduates for lab technician jobs in biotech and the life sciences.
The funding is being provided through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) — a government agency tasked with overseeing the state's $1 billion life sciences investment plan. The GMGI plans to use to grant to construct a new center for genetic research in marine organisms, with applications including commercial fishing.
"Our capital grant will enable the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute to pursue an exciting project that combines workforce training with cutting-edge innovation in genomics, a field where Massachusetts has consistently been a world leader," MLSC President and CEO Travis McCready said in a statement.
Along with the funding for the GMGI, the MLSC also awarded more than $260,000 to a handful of Gloucester-area middle and high schools to purchase equipment and supplies for science, technology, engineering, and math education.