Regis College was awarded a $746,476 grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) to strengthen and expand life sciences programs through the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment and renovations in the Watson-Hubbard Science Center.
The grant is part of $13.1 million in grants through the MLSC’s STEM Equipment and Professional Development Grant program.
“This new equipment will expand research experiences for the university’s undergraduate students led by Regis’ expert life sciences faculty and enable our students to have real-world experiences in preparation for successful internships and careers that can lead to positive discoveries affecting the sciences, health care, and our broader community,” said Regis President Antoinette Hays, PhD, RN.
"The renovations to create a BSL II lab, generator and additional equipment supported by the MLSC workforce development grant will have a huge impact on our STEM and Neuroscience students both in their classes and research projects,” said Kristen Willems, PhD, Regis pre-professional program director and associate STEM professor. “Modernizing the tools and approaches our students learn from will expand the essential skills they develop with a Regis education."
The grant will provide funds to renovate an existing storage/prep room into a specialized cell culture lab. New equipment will include a generator that will provide standby power to the second and third floor of the Watson-Hubbard Science Center. The building houses research projects including a neuroscience lab with a 10-year National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding record, a new research project in ovarian cancer screening test development, a zebrafish lab for student-led inquiry research, and a research project on key brain structures affected in Alzheimer's disease.
“Today’s announcement demonstrates our administration’s commitment to supporting the life sciences industry, including by investing in education and training opportunities that will inspire a new generation of life science and STEM field workers,” said Governor Maura Healey. “By sparking early interest in the life sciences among students and funding industry-aligned programs, we are creating a world-class talent pipeline and supporting the continued growth of life sciences companies in Massachusetts.”
