EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The first meeting of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Collaborative took place on December 6, 2006 at the Boston Athenaeum.   Twenty-one out of the twenty-five organizing members were in attendance.  The following is a summary of the key points:

Major themes regarding the MA Life Sciences Collaborative:

1. Identify and support realistic, shared goals—both short and long-term—in coordination with existing efforts
   • Determine institutional goals of members and align with work of Collaborative
   • Enlist champions for important issues
   • Jumpstart the Collaborative’s efforts via a compelling demonstration project
   • Build upon current collaboration activity within Massachusetts
2. Crystallize and further develop value proposition of Collaborative to stakeholders
3. Ensure robust representation
   • Include hospitals and other bio-industries such as bio-energy
   • Expand geographical representation

Discussion and identification of key priorities:

1. Opportunity to  address transportation constraints as it affects life sciences community
   • Connecting Greater Boston institutions and companies (e.g. light rail, etc.)
2. Need to address life sciences workforce development needs
   • Determine how to feed the HR pipeline
   • Address need for technical skill training, basic English and math and ESL for immigrants
3.  Increase Phase II clinical trials and translate research into the community through education of key individuals and groups
4. Increase share of foundation and federal contract dollar funding
   • Sustaining and increasing our share of federal grant monies
   • Increase early stage financing (e.g. opportunity with medical device industry)
5. Address downstream life sciences manufacturing barriers such as water and energy requirements and continue efforts to stream-line permitting
6. Continue to build upon work in areas of eHealth and technology transfer

Action items and next steps for Organizing Committee:

• Work with Monitor Group to conduct survey and analysis of life sciences cluster (by 2/28)
• Communicate with and involve the new State administration

1. Develop key priorities for presentation and discussion (by 1/10)
2. Letter to Governor-elect defining Collaborative and priorities (by 1/21)
3. Form Priorities Sub-committee to manage this effort (by 12/22)
1. Determine priority areas (by 1/15)  and develop action plans (by 2/28)

• Create sub-committees to address each of the identified priorities (by 1/15)
• Work with MBC to support BIO 2007 and promote super-cluster (on-going)
• Continue to develop framework for Life Sciences Leadership Council (by Fall 07)
• Schedule next organizing committee meeting for February/March time-frame (by 12/31)
• More detailed communication regarding these tasks to come in the next couple of weeks