The University of New England aims to expand its research capabilities and regional impact through a $357,373 grant for advanced life sciences research equipment.
The funding, from the Maine Technology Institute, will allow the university to invest in specialized equipment for use by researchers, companies and institutions across the region.
The grant will be used to purchase mass spectrometry equipment to advance drug development, improve disease diagnosis and targeted care, and study trace contaminants affecting Maine’s forests and coastal ecosystems.
Access to that type of specialized equipment is limited in Maine and northern New England, creating barriers to scientific research, company growth and workforce development, according to UNE. By expanding shared access to high-end analytical tools, the initiative aims to address a key gap in the state’s life sciences infrastructure.
MTI’s investment reflects the state’s broader strategy to expand Maine’s life sciences sector, in part through the creation of the Maine Life Sciences Center, housed within MTI and led by founding director Sarah Delmar.
“Maine doesn’t have enough access to this kind of specialized infrastructure today, and that limits what companies and researchers can do here,” Delmar said. “Investments like this are how we start to change that.”
The news follows a $5 million gift from philanthropist David Shaw to launch an interdisciplinary institute at UNE focused on environmental and human health, reinforcing the university’s role as a hub for collaboration, research and workforce development.
The University of New England, led by President James Herbert, has campuses in Biddeford and Portland as well as Tangier, Morocco. The school is ranked No. 7 among Maine’s largest colleges and universities in the 2026 Mainebiz Book of Lists. Rankings were based on full-time enrollment in fall 2025.
Herbert was honored as a Mainebiz Business Leader of the Year in 2025.
