Massachusetts is strengthening its position as a major life sciences hub, but the sector’s expansion is bringing a new challenge: finding enough workers with the technical and analytical skills required by modern healthcare and biotechnology businesses. Bentley University is responding with a new workforce development initiative supported by a $235,000 grant from the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.
The funding will help Bentley prepare students for emerging roles across the life sciences industry by combining business education with data, technology and scientific training. A major part of the investment will support the installation of advanced LED data visualization technology in the university’s renovated Adamian Academic Center, giving students an environment designed to replicate the data-intensive workplaces they may encounter after graduation.
The initiative comes as demand for life science analytics capabilities continues to grow alongside the industry’s increasing reliance on data. Massachusetts is projected to see 35% growth in computing and analytics-focused life sciences positions, creating pressure on employers to find qualified professionals. Bentley’s program is intended to address that workforce gap by giving students practical exposure to data-driven decision-making alongside foundational knowledge of biology and chemistry.
Bentley Builds a Cross-Disciplinary Pipeline for Life Sciences Jobs
The university’s programming for business and data analytics in the life sciences is designed to prepare students for positions including data scientists, clinical data managers and regulatory analysts. Rather than treating technology and life sciences as separate academic areas, Bentley is bringing them together across different levels of education.
A new transdisciplinary component of the curriculum will introduce students to fundamental concepts in biology and chemistry before moving into practical problem-solving exercises based on industry datasets. Students will also work with AI tools as part of the learning process, allowing them to explore how emerging technologies are being used to interpret information and support business and scientific decisions.
The approach reflects a broader change in the skills sought by life sciences companies. Scientific knowledge alone is increasingly being combined with data management, analytics, regulatory understanding and business strategy. As clinical research, drug development and healthcare operations generate larger volumes of information, organizations need employees who can understand both the underlying science and the business implications of the data.
Bentley has already begun preparing for the program’s rollout. During the summer, its Center for Health and Business coordinated with 17 collaborators from different academic centers, faculty groups and disciplines to develop pilot components for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The university also plans to launch a “Hot in Health” speaker series, bringing professionals with experience in life sciences data analytics into conversations with students. Such industry exposure could give students a clearer understanding of how analytical skills are applied in areas such as clinical research, healthcare operations, regulation and commercial decision-making.
The program is not limited to classroom instruction. Bentley’s investment in physical infrastructure is intended to give students hands-on experience with technologies and workflows similar to those used by life sciences organizations.
New Visualization Lab Connects Students With Industry Workflows
The LED visualization infrastructure is expected to become operational in 2027 inside the Futures Lab at the renovated Adamian Academic Center. The system will feature a wraparound visualization environment where students can work collaboratively with large and complex datasets.
The technology is being designed to support immersive analysis rather than simply displaying information on conventional computer screens. Students will be able to examine large datasets in a setting that resembles professional environments where data must be interpreted quickly and shared among teams.
Bentley expects this experience to be particularly relevant to applications such as clinical trial monitoring and supply-chain management. Both areas depend on the ability to track large amounts of information, identify changes and communicate findings to multiple stakeholders.
The initiative also represents a coordinated effort across the university. The Center for Health and Business is working with the Center for Analytics and Data Science, Center for Integration of Science and Industry, Academic Technology Center, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship initiative, Strategy and Innovation, Academic Affairs and the Badavas Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning.
This cross-campus structure gives the program access to expertise spanning health, science, technology, analytics, innovation and education. For students, the combination could provide a more complete understanding of how different functions interact inside life sciences organizations.
Danielle Blanch Hartigan, Chester B. Slade Professor of Psychology and executive director of Bentley’s Center for Health and Business, said the collaboration is intended to connect interdisciplinary education with industry needs while creating opportunities for experiential learning and workforce development.
From an industry perspective, the timing is significant. Massachusetts already has a strong concentration of biotechnology, pharmaceutical, healthcare and research organizations, while the growing use of data across these industries is changing the types of skills employers require. Universities therefore have an increasingly important role in building a workforce that can operate across scientific, technical and commercial functions.
Bentley’s investment provides one example of how higher education institutions are adapting their programs to this changing employment environment. By combining scientific foundations, analytics training, business strategy and exposure to industry-style technology, the university is positioning students for roles emerging at the intersection of healthcare and data.
As the state’s life sciences economy continues to expand, initiatives such as this could become an important part of addressing the talent shortage. For employers, a stronger pipeline of graduates with practical analytical and scientific skills could reduce the gap between academic training and workplace requirements. For students, it creates a pathway into a sector where technical and business capabilities are increasingly valued together.
