October 2007

The Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute was a featured stop on the Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Economic Development’s October 24 trip to Springfield. The visit was part of the Secretary’s state-wide tour to highlight the Massachusetts Life Sciences Initiative. Following presentations and a press conference at Baystate Health, Secretary O’Connell and his party proceeded to the PVLSI’s state-of-the-art biomedical research facility at 3601 Main on the northern edge of the Baystate Medical Center campus.

PVLSI was founded in late 2002 as a joint venture of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Baystate Medical Center to conduct biomedical research with the potential to benefit human health and to be a driver of research-based regional economic development. PVLSI’s scientists conduct research in apoptosis (programmed cell death), breast cancer, and diabetes. Since its establishment, the Institute has received over $7.5 million in state and federal government funding to support facilities, equipment, and operations in Springfield as well as over $21 million in research funding, including the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative John Adams Innovation Institute’s award of $3 million to develop the Center of Excellence in Apoptosis Research (CEAR).

Dr. Paul Friedmann, PVLSI’s Executive Director, is optimistic about the Institute’s future and its potential economic impact noting, “While we have always been supportive of regional economic development efforts, our early priorities focused on development of excellent research. Now that nine outstanding scientists have established laboratories here, we are creating innovative programs with the potential to expand the research base while proactively fueling regional economic development. CEAR is the cornerstone of these efforts and we are appreciative of the opportunities it provides.”

"The Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute contributes tremendously to the life sciences industry in Massachusetts," said Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Dan O'Connell. "The Governor's proposed life sciences bill will allow places such as PVLSI to attract more researchers and create new cures."