Our approach to biomedical research is to enable research scientists, engineers and clinicians to work collaboratively in state-of-the-art facilities. Bringing together these different perspectives provides a mechanism for setting priorities, facilitates iterative development of ideas, and allows us to anticipate scientific and clinical obstacles.

Interdisciplinary Approach, Multidisciplinary Resources

Modern biomedical research increasingly requires a collaborative culture and broad range of research perspectives. PVLSI has developed an organization and philosophy that delivers both. From the floor plan of our research space to the structure of our research clusters, PVLSI is designed to inspire, promote and reward collaboration within and across disciplines.

We are organized to take maximum advantage of the clinical expertise and scientific depth offered by our parent institutions, Baystate Medical Center and UMass Amherst. With this wealth of strength to draw upon, we are able to create novel teams with unique combinations of disciplines and build extraordinary research connections among member clinicians, scientists and engineers.

While our scope includes many of the same disciplines found in research institutions affiliated with medical schools, we are in the unique position to easily access and engage experts in non-life science disciplines such as polymer sciences, engineering, computer science, chemical engineering, exercise science, and nanotechnology.

Meeting the Needs of Industry

We welcome the participation of companies with research and development needs that complement the range of expertise and facilities offered by the PVLSI. Our model allows us to address novel research problems ranging from the most basic cellular and molecular questions to implementation of practical solutions by utilizing expertise in biosciences, medicine, engineering and/or physical sciences on an as needed basis.

We have a variety of mechanisms for working with companies, including:

• Integration of the academic and scientific resources of the University of Massachusetts Amherst with the clinical expertise of the Baystate Medical Center
• Creation of teams of life scientists, physicians, and physical scientists to focus on clinical disorders
• Industry sponsored and collaborative research
• Contract research and services to support company R&D programs
• SBIR/STTR partnerships
• Commercialization of intellectual property and know-how resulting from PVLSI research

Education for Young Researchers

We provide educational and research experiences at the undergraduate through postdoctoral levels that offer the next generation of scientists opportunities to learn in a setting that affords a high degree of contact with faculty, clinicians, and a diverse array of research projects. Opportunities include a Ph.D. program for Baystate Medical Center resident physicians.

In addition to strong scientific and research training, our students benefit from learning in our collaborative, interdisciplinary environment. The ability to communicate and collaborate with diverse colleagues from other disciplines is an increasingly important part of the biomedical research skill set.