Nobe Laureate's Visit Greeted with Joint Session, Legislation
By Jim O’Sullivan
and Michael Norton
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, JULY 20, 2007….From a microphone most often used to announce bills moving toward third reading and admonish members for talking during speeches, a Nobel Prize winner on Thursday explained to the Massachusetts Legislature the formation of the universe.
Dr. Craig Mello, a University of Massachusetts Medical School scientist who won the prize in medicine for discovering a gene-silencing technique said to open the door to important breakthroughs, regaled attentive lawmakers during a joint session with a quick science lesson and brief discussion of his research, noting that the Big Bang and its consequences likely had never been discussed in the House Chamber.
He urged policymakers to invest in education and research, calling state participation key to advances in science. “We have the potential as biological organisms to go on and on and on, and we need to work hard to develop sustainable technologies to do that,” said Mello, whose work with “RNA interference” made him one of eight American Nobel winners last November.
Timed to Mello’s visit, Gov. Deval Patrick filed a bill to support the 10-year, $1 billion life sciences initiative he outlined at a biotechnology convention in May.
The bill makes a series of taxpayer-funded investments, mostly capital spending and tax breaks, aimed at growing the life sciences industry in Massachusetts and creating jobs.
Senate President Therese Murray greeted Patrick’s bill warmly, telling lawmakers at the close of the joint session that she knew they would support it.
A more cautious House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, in a statement, called Patrick's bill "an ambitious plan" and said "we certainly embrace the concepts." DiMasi added, "As with any proposal of this magnitude, we must always keep costs and affordability in mind."
The outlay is one in a string of high-dollar initiatives the governor has proposed, including a $1.4 billion commuter rail to the South Coast and an unpriced education investment plan. He is looking to generate revenues by closing so-called corporate tax loopholes. Patrick today is signing into law the second round of tax incentives for the film industry in the last three years.
Asked Thursday to explain the targeting of certain industries for state subsidies, while looking raise taxes on other sectors, he replied, “It’s a question about what we do by accident and what we do on purpose, and this is about stimulating an industry which already has strength here in Massachusetts, but which we will lose if we don’t take steps.” He added that he thought tax incentives should be accompanied by broader economic development efforts. Highlights of the bill include:
-- An array of tax incentives, credits and "pass-throughs" to help spur the life sciences sector;
-- Authorization of $500 million in capital spending to create and build the Massachusetts Stem Cell Bank and an RNAi center. The bank would be "the world's largest repository of new stem cell lines available to all sectors, both public and private.”
-- Creation of a $15 million Massachusetts Life Sciences Investment Fund to finance research, small business innovation grants, life sciences fellowships, and workforce training.
-- Expansion of the board of the new state Life Sciences Center, whose executive director was recently ousted, and terminates the terms of the current board members. The bill also gives the center the authority to build capital projects, award grants and "expend funds consistent with the plan outlined by the governor." Two new gubernatorial appointees, a venture capitalist and a researcher, would make it a seven-member board;-- Establishment of a 10-person Advisory Committee to the Life Sciences Center Board.
Mello, who appeared at a press conference with Patrick prior to the rare joint session, said his preliminary research had turned up roughly 66 other Nobel winners from the Bay State, stacked against about 12 from the Soviet Union. He said he was disappointed by the Bush administration’s reaction to his research, which he described as a generally cool attitude toward cutting-edge science.
Before remarks from the political leaders and Mello, 11-year-old Amy de Silva, whose Charcot-Marie-Tooth prevents her from using her arms fully, brought some legislators to tears with a rendition of the national anthem.