Wow! What a year we have had. We continue to persevere through a pandemic, social unrest, and national political divisions. Yet, through all of this we have remained resilient. We attained record research expenditures, maintained a healthy research workforce, and cultivated personal and professional relationships in ways we had never envisioned.
We moved our research into action. In February, we signed the Wellcome Trust commitment to open access of COVID-19 research. By March, we seeded 47 research teams. Our grassroots MASC (manufacturing and sterilization for COVID-19) initiative grew from 20 individuals to more than 300, supporting the immediate needs of our front-line healthcare workers and partnering with local businesses to scale production of our innovations.
This time last year, many people did not know what personal protective equipment (PPE) was — today, we are grateful to have donated more than 10,000 pieces of PPE to hospitals across the commonwealth. Our researchers studied plasma therapy, antivirals, and vaccine candidates to complement first-generation solutions. Those who study flu, Zika, and dengue pivoted to research on SARS-CoV-2. We joined colleagues around the world to track the outbreak’s origins, and we made more than 50 informational videos for the public.
While COVID-19 research was underway, the rest of our research enterprise tenaciously pursued innovations and advances. We hosted BioTech Discovery Day showcasing biomedical research. The National Science Foundation renewed support for our Center for Nanoscale Science. The Department of Energy named us an Energy Frontier Research Center. The National Institutes of Health renewed funding for our Child Maltreatment Solutions Network. Our defense research advanced national security capabilities from sea to space. Industry did not hold back, either and continued investing in our expertise in materials and manufacturing.
We did not do this in a vacuum. Our research support offices put in incredible efforts and hours supporting our researchers. We processed more than 9000 human-subjects protocols and more than 900 no-cost extensions to grants and contracts, and we filed more than 70 new patents.
In March, we rapidly curtailed our on-campus, in-person research activities. By May, we eased restrictions. In September, we created plans to safely sustain research throughout the pandemic.
The unyielding dedication and devotion have been exceptional. The cordiality and collegiality have been admirable, and the events we have experienced will remain with us for a lifetime. As researchers, colleagues, parents, neighbors, community partners, and friends, we will emerge even stronger.
Thank you for your resilience.
— Lora Weiss, Senior Vice President for Research