Academic and Research Institutions Support Mayor de Blasio's LifeSci NYC Initiative

December 13, 2016

James B. Milliken, Chancellor of The City University of New York, said, “At the center of CUNY’s strategic plans are efforts to create new opportunities for our students to gain experience in growth sectors to help prepare them and allow them to better compete for exciting careers. The new life sciences internship program and curriculum development grants announced by Mayor de Blasio today advance these efforts significantly. We are grateful to the Mayor for these new opportunities for CUNY students to participate in an exciting and growing sector of New York’s innovation economy.”

Rockefeller University President Rick Lifton said, “The life sciences have tremendous potential, not only to transform medicine, but to transform the economics of the New York City region in the coming years. The Mayor’s plan to encourage investment in this vital industry builds on existing momentum and will position New York as a leader in the development of new technologies and new drugs. It will provide highly attractive opportunities for the city’s life science trainees, such as graduates of Rockefeller, to stay in the area, where they will contribute to a diverse local economy and a vibrant intellectual community.”

Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger said, “The potential the life sciences offer for saving lives and improving society is a core focus of our work at Columbia, from the new generations of targeted therapies and novel medical devices developed by our scientists, to the many startups emerging from University researchers. New York has become a thriving entrepreneurial environment for both scientific discovery and for translating those discoveries into products able to save lives and cure disease. We look forward to collaborating with the Mayor and the New York City Economic Development Corporation on the promising initiatives announced today and to building on the City’s momentum in this field.” 

Susan L. Solomon, CEO and co-Founder of the New York Stem Cell Foundation, said, "Congratulations to Mayor de Blasio and New York City on today’s announcement. The City has long been at the forefront of clinical care and with this new initiative claims its place as a global leader of life science research and innovation. We are delighted to have the City's support as we open in January our new state-of-the-art research facility for advanced stem cell research, technology development, and clinical translation."

Cheryl A. Moore, President and Chief Operating Officer of the New York Genome Center, said, “The Mayor’s Breakthrough Life Sciences 10-Year Plan will provide a platform to bolster partnerships among public, private and nonprofit life sciences organizations in the city, enabling industry growth, job creation and development of the next generation of Life Sciences talent in NYC.”

Michael Foley, Ph.D., Sanders Director of the Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute and The Sanders Innovation and Education Initiative, said, “New York City is perfectly poised to be a leader in biopharmaceutical research and innovation in the US. The De Blasio administration’s clear vision and leadership in this area will ensure that New York biotechnology reaches its full potential. The Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute is delighted to be a part of this new era of biopharmaceutical expansion in the greater New York area." Michael Foley, Sanders Director, Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute.