February 11, 2008 Life sciences grant program launched in Mass. Play video

(NECN) - Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and other state officials announced Thursday the launch of $12 million grant program to help spark life sciences research in the state.

The grants, ranging from $100,000-$250,000, are designed to increase industry-sponsored research, attract and keep nationally known faculty at Massachusetts colleges and help fund the research of new investigators working on life sciences.

The grants are given out by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center which was created by the Legislature in a 2006 economic stimulus package. The grant program become possible when the center received an initial budget of $10 million and another $15 million in 2007.

NECN's Josh McElveen has more.