Malloy Touts Biosciences To Grow Economy

STAMFORD, Conn. – If you're a high school student who is planning to become a doctor or dentist, Connecticut is the place to be, Gov. Dannel Malloy told the Stamford Chamber of Commerce on Friday afternoon.

“We are taking a play out of other state’s books and investing in biosciences,” the Democratic governor said, explaining his plan to retain and create more jobs in the state.

At the forefront of his plan to boost Connecticut’s bioscience efforts is the $864 million revitalization of the University of Connecticut Health Center, which will serve medical and dental students, along with 50 prominent research scientists from around the world. The health center will also be able to teach 100 more medical students and 48 more dental students, Malloy said.

The health center has already attracted the Jackson Laboratory to join the UConn Health Center, Malloy said. The laboratory will build its new genome center in the state, he said.

In addition to biosciences, the governor also wants to improve upon the state’s precision manufacturing. He said only one public college is training students to become machinists and tool operators, and he plans to have other schools add similar training. Many manufacturing jobs are available in the state because people are retiring and no one is trained to fill the positions, he said.

Malloy addressed the chamber in honor of its 24th anniversary celebration. It is a tradition for the governor to be the keynote speaker at the event. Friday was the first time Malloy, who is from Stamford, has spoken to the chamber in that role. 

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