PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The U.S. Economic Development Administration has awarded a grant to the Wistar Institute, a biomedical research nonprofit in Philadelphia, for a unique workforce development program designed to support the growth of cell and gene therapy programs in the region.
Wistar is one of eight grantees chosen from a pool of 77 applicants from across the country for the EDA’s STEM Talent Challenge Program. The program aims to build science, technology, engineering, and mathematics talent training systems to strengthen regional innovation economies.
“Wistar is receiving nearly a $250,000 grant to support their “The Quality Science Pathway Apprenticeship Program,” said Alejandra Castillo, the U.S. assistant secretary of commerce for economic development. “This important program will address a critical regional gap in higher education and workforce training programs to allow the greater Philadelphia region to expand its life sciences industry to meet its increasing workforce need.”
The Wistar grant is being matched with $250,000 locally, Castillo added.
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Despite the need for a specific workforce for cell and gene therapy programs there are few if any formal training programs, says Dr. David Zuzga, Wistar’s associate dean of biomedical studies. The Quality Science Pathway Apprenticeship will offer an earn-and-learn, hands-on training curriculum.
“People don’t get exposure in quality science until they are hired into the position and begin on-boarding at that time. And given that the curriculum is designed by industry, it is uniquely valuable to the participants, because they are gaining skills that are directly translatable to their first position in industry, and they are now super valuable to their potential employers,” Zuzga said.
“So this is really a win-win that is creating a local, highly specific workforce to directly serve and support the growth of the cell and gene therapy space in Philly.”
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Mayor Jim Kenney said the cell and gene therapy industry is an important economic opportunity for Philadelphia, as the city and the region continue to recover from the setbacks of the pandemic.
“Cell and gene companies are starting up and growing right here in Philadelphia and the surrounding area, and there is a major demand for more lab technicians and quality science expertise, as well as other biomedical and biotechnical expertise right now for our pipelines,” said the mayor.