Jackson receives $2.1M in Maine Technology Asset Fund award

Date: June 9, 2009
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Bar Harbor -- The Jackson Laboratory has received a $2.1 million grant from the State of Maine to expand research space for laboratory mice and to purchase cutting-edge equipment for genetic analyses. The Maine Technology Institute (MTI) awarded the grant through the Maine Technology Asset Fund. 
 
"This funding is a smart state investment in science, medicine and economic development, and we’re going to put it to good use," said Jackson Laboratory President and CEO Rick Woychik, Ph.D. "It will expand the Laboratory’s capacity to conduct research and development, leading to new product and service offerings for personalized medicine research, in partnership with Maine companies and nonprofit institutions."

The Jackson project was one of 16 high-technology projects across the state that collectively received $25 million in grants, from a pool of 50 applicants seeking more than $100 million. In announcing the award at a ceremony in Augusta, Gov. John E. Baldacci said, "The Maine Technology Asset Fund illustrates Maine’s strong commitment to stimulating the state’s innovation economy and expanding the infrastructure that supports high-tech research and development."

The funded projects are expected to leverage $40 million in investment in the Maine innovation economy. The governor pointed to The Jackson Laboratory as an example of the economic contributions that high-technology employers can make in Maine. "Average pay and benefits are $67,000, compared to the state average of $33,000, and they indirectly impact more than 2,000 other jobs," he said. "That’s huge."

With an FY2010 budget of $168.8 million and more than 1,300 employees, the nonprofit Jackson Laboratory is one of Maine’s largest employers. The Laboratory's mission is to discover the genetic basis for preventing, treating and curing human diseases, and to enable research and education for the global biomedical community.

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In the photo: Jackson Laboratory President and CEO Rick Woychik, Ph.D., receives congratulations from Maine Governor John E. Baldacci at the State House in Augusta (300 dpi version available here).

Contact(s): Joyce Peterson, 207-288-6058

For information on automatic email delivery of news releases (journalists only), please send an email request for details to news@jax.org. Please address other inquiries to pubinfo@jax.org.

Media Relations, Communications Office
The Jackson Laboratory
600 Main Street
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609-1500
Phone: 207-288-6058 (journalists only)
Main Jackson Laboratory phone: 207-288-6000
Fax: 207-288-6076
Email: news@jax.org