Maine Life Scientists Explore How Growing Industry can Further Drive Economic Development
Life scientists and leaders from academia, the private sector, and government came together for The Maine Life Sciences Network’s second annual Impact Forum at Northeastern University’s Roux Institute this fall. A focus area of the conference was exploring how the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences’ National Center for Marie Algae and Microbiota can be used to foster ideas for new processes and products that could help other industries solve problems.
This year’s event was co-sponsored by FocusMaine, the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, and the Maine Technology Institute. According to the Bioscience Association of Maine (BIOME), Maine’s life sciences industry contributes $2.3 billion to the state’s gross regional product, and job growth in the sector has brown by 31% over the last five years, significantly outpacing job growth in all other industries in Maine.
“The Maine Life Sciences Network and its annual forum is transforming how the life science community connects and collaborates. Through our partnership with FocusMaine, the network is investing in ecosystem development and positioning Maine to take full advantage of this rapidly growing field. These efforts are driving economic growth and ensuring that Maine’s life sciences community remains at the forefront of innovation.”
Aileen Huang-Saad
Director of Life Sciences, Health, and Engineering
The event featured facilitated breakout sessions to generate ideas for competitive seed funding proposals that will stimulate multidisciplinary collaboration across institutions to advance a scientific or entrepreneurial project. “This year’s forum is all about leveraging Maine’s unique assets for innovation,” said Leo Waterston, FocusMaine program director. “Our partnership with the Maine Life Sciences Network is critical to strengthening Maine’s growing life science community.”
At the inaugural event last year, attendees explored how to strengthen, deepen, and expand the life sciences network to advance the economy in Maine. Inspired by the rich discussion at the event, FocusMaine supported two pilot projects coming out of the event’s workshop sessions, one focused on marketing Maine’s life sciences sector, and the other testing a digital community to bring together life scientists across the state. One project, the Life Sciences Visual Content Library, will be unveiled at the Portland Museum of Art on November 12 at an event hosted by BIOME. The content library is a curated collection of high-quality photos and videos showcasing Maine’s thriving life sciences sector, providing essential marketing resources for local organizations, businesses, and media outlets.
Keynote speaker Dr. Ray Stevens, a pioneer in structure-based drug discovery and a successful entrepreneur, inspired attendees to think beyond traditional research pathways and explore entrepreneurial opportunities for advancing scientific breakthroughs.
A highlight of the day was a panel discussion that examined how the theme of the event aligns with broader efforts to grow Maine’s bioscience ecosystem. Panelists included Leo Waterston, Program Director at FocusMaine; Agnieszka Carpenter, Executive Director of the Bioscience Association of Maine; Phoenix McLaughlin, Director of Strategy Implementation at the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development; and Dr. Lucy Liaw, Faculty Scientist and Director of Research Education & Training Programs at the MaineHealth Institute for Research.