New Biomanufacturing Training Programs Provide Access for More People to Explore Careers in the Life Sciences
With high demand for new talent in the life sciences industry, a unique training program is launching this December in partnership with industry and academic leaders to equip those interested in a life sciences career with skills necessary to get started.
Northeastern University and Bridgewater State University have been awarded a grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) to develop a PathmakerBio training program, a collaborative program led in partnership between Northeastern’s College of Professional Studies, Bridgewater State University and ElevateBio, a Waltham-based cell and gene therapy company. Bringing leaders in academia and the biotech industry together, PathmakerBio will provide hands-on training to increase access for more people to pursue careers in the region’s high-demand life sciences industry.
PathmakerBio focuses on protein therapeutic and cell/gene therapy manufacturing. These classes of medicines require specialized, high-quality manufacturing capabilities and expertise. Using immune cells or genetic material, such as DNA or RNA, these complex medicines are designed to address the underlying causes of diseases.
Part of MLSC’s investment to expand training programs that address critical skills and talent supply gaps facing the state’s life science industry, PathmakerBio emphasizes job training that creates opportunities for underserved individuals. A science background is not required to be eligible for this program and training can be provided at three locations to make the opportunity more accessible, including: Burlington (Fall/Winter 2024), Bridgewater (early 2025) as well as Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood (2025).
“There are many skills that are transferable to the lab environment with proper training,” explained Jared Auclair, Interim Dean of the College of Professional Studies and recognized global leader in biotechnology. “Our goal is to open the door to these opportunities by giving critical hands-on skill-based education that is developed in partnership with industry to build the bridge between available talent and job opportunities.”
Key highlights of this collaborative program include:
• 8-week program with three cohorts of 22 students each over one year, for a total of 66 trainees.
• Focus on recruiting from underrepresented communities to create new career pathways in biotech.
• Industry-aligned curriculum covering critical skills like cGMP, aseptic technique, upstream/downstream processing, and analytical testing.
• Available stipends to provide additional support for transportation, childcare, and other needs that can be barriers to pursuing educational opportunities.
• Training locations in Burlington in the Fall 2024, Bridgewater and Boston/Roxbury in the first half of 2025 to increase accessibility.
Those interested in learning more and applying to the program can sign up for more information at: https://pathmakerbio.sites.northeastern.edu/.
