LYNN — The city announced Monday that it is teaming up with the BioConnects New England coalition to create a biomanufacturing-industry cluster in the city and New England region.
Mayor Jared Nicholson said the partnership aims to bring opportunities to residents seeking to enter the life-sciences industry. The city will also be working with North Shore Community College (NSCC), which has a campus in Lynn, to help interested students find jobs.
Nicholson said he is interested in investing in the field of biotechnology, which involves the integration of natural and engineering sciences. This work uses organisms and cells with the aim of developing products and improving services in life-sciences areas, such as health, development and research.
“One of the primers we are thinking about is in the field of biotechnology,” Nicholson said. “We are looking to bring biotechnology jobs at a high level to Lynn and create a pipeline for adults and students who are interested in this field.”
Nicholson said he has been having conversations with city councilors, the city’s Planning Department and Economic Development & Industrial Corporation of Lynn (EDIC/Lynn) about the partnership. He said he plans to hold public meetings about this initiative in the near future.
“We are ready to move forward and we are going to be thinking with the administration on how we move forward with this plan,” said Nicholson. “EDIC/Lynn has already done some great work on how we can find opportunities for life sciences in the commercial and industrial sectors.”
Nicholson has cited the city’s investment into life-sciences opportunities as a top priority, both during his campaign and since being sworn in as mayor in January.
Northeastern University Professor Jared Auclair, executive director of BioConnects New England (BCNE), said Lynn has potential, given its commercial space and growing workforce, which makes it an ideal partner to expand opportunities in the region’s life-sciences industry.
“The city of Lynn has all of the ingredients to attract the life-sciences industry, including prime commercial space, a growing workforce, and solid infrastructure,” said Auclair, who directs the Biopharmaceutical Analysis Training Lab at Northeastern University.
“The BioConnects New England coalition aims to serve as a platform to showcase Lynn’s assets to the broader life-sciences community throughout New England, and we look forward to working with the city’s strong leadership and planning teams to ensure this partnership’s success,” he said.
BCNE is a multi-state coalition of universities, organizations and cities that seeks to expand job and development opportunities for biomanufacturing jobs and research throughout New England.
The coalition was a finalist in the Build Back Better Regional Challenge, a $1 billion grant program that aims to boost economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and rebuild communities across the United States.
BCNE will lead K-12 education and engagement activities, jumpstart prototype and incubation facilities throughout the region, invest in accessible startup entrepreneurship programming, and provide an opportunity for students at NSCC to learn more about biomanufacturing.
The city will be holding community-level engagement activities with residents seeking these opportunities and aims to build upon this new partnership throughout the year.
This article originally appeared here on itemlive.com.
