PATRICK OFFERS STATE CASH FOR UMASS-LOWELL MEDICAL DEVICES CENTER

Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Feb 13, 2008

The Associated Press

LOWELL, Mass.— Gov. Deval Patrick is giving the University of Massachusetts-Lowell $4 million to help the school build an "innovation center" that will aid entrepreneurs in developing medical devices.

The idea is to mesh the Lowell school's engineering expertise with the medical knowledge of the UMass Medical School in Worcester so smaller businesses can develop and bring products to market.

UMass-Lowell is committing $3 million of its own to the project and promising to raise another $3 million from federal sources and private donors. It hopes to open the center within a year. 

Patrick has made a $1 billion life sciences initiative a cornerstone of his economic development efforts for the state.