Editorial: Finding A Life Science Niche

Last month's BIO International Convention in Boston was a significant event, given Massachusetts' tight embrace of the life sciences industry and its success in becoming one of the nation's magnets for new and growing companies. Granted, most of the life sciences "love" is being showered upon Boston and Cambridge —the state's nexus of education and innovation.

Central Massachusetts, meanwhile, has not been ignored. While it's obviously good for the region to have a piece of the action, enlarging that piece would be better, not just through the growth of key players such as Boston Scientific of Natick and smaller companies with significant potential. Central Massachusetts needs the support of ancillary industries such as academia, real estate brokerages, investment advisors and business consulting to aid in that growth. Indeed, the lists of support industries that are members of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, with more than 600 members, have a noticeably heavy Eastern Massachusetts bent.

Academia in the central part of the state has already made its commitment through the work of Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, which opens the new $400-million Albert Sherman Center later this year.

In this issue of the WBJ, we focus on the region's life sciences industry and we hope it will continue to build on its long and successful track record. To do that, it needs more engaged support from key ancillary industries.

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