The Boston and New England R&D ecosystem
Boston and New England is ranked number 26 of 392 R&D ecosystems in the 311 Institute directory, with 69 labs within about 120 kilometres: 26 research institutes, 22 corporate, 15 university, 3 government, 2 military and 1 non-profit. Leading organisations include Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University and Broad Institute, focused on molecular biology, public health, environmental and occupational health, genetics and astronomy and astrophysics.
Part of the 311 Institute Global R&D Labs Directory. Compiled by Matthew Griffin. Last updated .
#26world rank
69labs
56organisations
1country
Why these labs matter
Amazon Robotics: Runs one of the largest robot fleets in the world.
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard: Central to gene-editing therapies and large-scale genetic medicine.
Boston Dynamics: A leader in legged and humanoid robotics.
Moderna: Leads mRNA medicines beyond vaccines.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology: The world's leading engineering university.
MIT Lincoln Laboratory: One of the US Department of Defense's most important research centres.
All 69 labs
| Lab and organisation | Location | Type and sector | Focus | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerodyne ResearchAerodyne Research | Billerica, United States | Corporate Environment and climate | Atmospheric Science, Global and Planetary Change, Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes | 1970 |
| Amazon RoboticsAmazon | North Reading, United States | Corporate Technology | Robotics, AI | 2003 |
| Applied Science Laboratories (United States)Applied Science Laboratories (United States) | Bedford, United States | Corporate Industrials and manufacturing | Computational Mechanics, Applied Mathematics, Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes | 1962 |
| Braintree Laboratories (United States)Braintree Laboratories (United States) | Braintree, United States | Corporate Healthcare and life sciences | Oncology, Gastroenterology, Rheumatology | 1983 |
| Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc. (United States)Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc. (United States) | Tewksbury, United States | Corporate Healthcare and life sciences | Pharmacology, Spectroscopy, Biomedical Engineering | 1981 |
| CNS Research (United States)CNS Research (United States) | East Providence, United States | Corporate Healthcare and life sciences | Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Physiology | 1997 |
| CVS Digital Innovation LabCVS Health | Boston, United States | Corporate Consumer and retail | Health tech, Retail | 2015 |
| Eastern Research Group (United States)Eastern Research Group (United States) | Concord, United States | Corporate Environment and climate | Environmental Engineering, Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law, Atmospheric Science | 1975 |
| EIC LaboratoriesEIC Laboratories | Norwood, United States | Corporate Industrials and manufacturing | Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, Polymers and Plastics | 1971 |
| Lilly Seaport Innovation CenterEli Lilly | Boston, United States | Corporate Healthcare and life sciences | Genetic medicine | 2022 |
| Fidelity Center for Applied TechnologyFidelity Investments | Boston, United States | Corporate Financial services | Fintech, Blockchain, AI | 1999 |
| Boston DynamicsHyundai Motor Group | Waltham, United States | Corporate Technology | Robotics, Humanoids | 1992 |
| Solaria LabsLiberty Mutual | Boston, United States | Corporate Insurance | Insurtech prototypes | 2016 |
| Microsoft Research New EnglandMicrosoft | Cambridge, United States | Corporate Technology | AI, Economics, Theory | 2008 |
| Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories (United States)Mitsubishi Group (Japan) | Cambridge, United States | Corporate Technology | Signal Processing, Control and Systems Engineering, Artificial Intelligence | |
| ModernaModerna | Cambridge, United States | Corporate Healthcare and life sciences | mRNA | 2010 |
| National Grid PartnersNational Grid | Boston, United States | Corporate Energy and resources | Energy technology venture | 2018 |
| Novartis Biomedical Research CambridgeNovartis | Cambridge, United States | Corporate Healthcare and life sciences | Drug discovery | 2002 |
| Pfizer Cambridge Research CampusPfizer | Cambridge, United States | Corporate Healthcare and life sciences | Vaccines, Rare diseases | |
| RMC Research (United States)RMC Research (United States) | Portsmouth, United States | Corporate Healthcare and life sciences | Epidemiology, Education, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health | 1982 |
| Sanofi Cambridge HubSanofi | Cambridge, United States | Corporate Healthcare and life sciences | Biologics | |
| Systems and Technology Research (United States)Systems and Technology Research (United States) | Woburn, United States | Corporate Technology | Artificial Intelligence, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition | 2010 |
| Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on AgingAgricultural Research Service - Northeast Area | Boston, United States | Government Healthcare and life sciences | Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Biochemistry, Genetics | 1979 |
| NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Fisheries Science CenterNOAA National Marine Fisheries Service | Falmouth, United States | Government Environment and climate | Global and Planetary Change, Ecology, Nature and Landscape Conservation | 2000 |
| Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory CouncilRhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council | Providence, United States | Government Multidisciplinary research | Research | 2005 |
| MIT Lincoln LaboratoryUS Department of Defense | Lexington, United States | Military Aerospace, defence and space | Sensors, Cybersecurity, Space | |
| Naval Undersea Warfare CenterUS Navy | Newport, United States | Military Aerospace, defence and space | Submarines, Undersea systems | 1869 |
| Clinical and Translational Science InstituteBoston University | Boston, United States | University Healthcare and life sciences | Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, General Health Professions, Infectious Diseases | |
| Framingham Heart StudyBoston University | Framingham, United States | University Healthcare and life sciences | Genetics, Psychiatry and Mental health, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism | 1948 |
| Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical ImagingHarvard University | Boston, United States | University Healthcare and life sciences | Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging, Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Mental health | 1989 |
| Harvard Stem Cell InstituteHarvard University | Cambridge, United States | University Healthcare and life sciences | Molecular Biology, Hematology, Genetics | 2004 |
| MIT-Harvard Center for Ultracold AtomsHarvard University | Cambridge, United States | University Basic science | Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Artificial Intelligence | |
| The NSF AI Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental InteractionsHarvard University | Cambridge, United States | University Space | Astronomy and Astrophysics, Nuclear and High Energy Physics | |
| Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired EngineeringHarvard University | Boston, United States | University Healthcare and life sciences | Surgery, Biomedical Engineering, Molecular Medicine | 2009 |
| Institute for Soldier NanotechnologiesMassachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, United States | University Chemicals and materials | Materials Chemistry, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Biomaterials | 2002 |
| MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence LaboratoryMassachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, United States | University Technology | Computational Theory and Mathematics, Hardware and Architecture, Artificial Intelligence | 2003 |
| Novartis-MIT Center for Continuous ManufacturingMassachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, United States | University Chemicals and materials | Materials Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Science, Biomedical Engineering | 2007 |
| Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchMassachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, United States | University Healthcare and life sciences | Molecular Biology, Plant Science | 1982 |
| Harvard UniversityUniversities in United States | Cambridge, United States | University Multidisciplinary research | Life sciences, Quantum | 1636 |
| Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyUniversities in United States | Cambridge, United States | University Multidisciplinary research | AI, Robotics, Quantum, Biotech | 1861 |
| Kansas Geological SurveyUniversity of Kansas | Lawrence, United States | University Environment and climate | Geophysics, Earth-Surface Processes, Paleontology | 1889 |
| Eunice Kennedy Shriver CenterUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical School | Worcester, United States | University Healthcare and life sciences | Epidemiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Physiology | 1970 |
| Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardBroad Institute | Cambridge, United States | Non-profit Healthcare and life sciences | Genomics, Gene editing | 2004 |
| American Federation for Medical ResearchAmerican Federation for Medical Research | Beverly, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Molecular Biology, Nephrology, Immunology | 1940 |
| Atmospheric and Environmental ResearchAtmospheric and Environmental Research | Lexington, United States | Research institute Environment and climate | Atmospheric Science, Global and Planetary Change, Oceanography | 1977 |
| Boston Biomedical Research InstituteBoston Biomedical Research Institute | Watertown, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Molecular Biology, Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine, Cell Biology | 1968 |
| Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance ProgramBoston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program | Lexington, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Toxicology, Geriatrics and Gerontology, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health | 1966 |
| Klarman Cell ObservatoryBroad Institute | Cambridge, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Molecular Biology, Immunology, Oncology | 2012 |
| Harvard College ObservatoryCenter for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian | Cambridge, United States | Research institute Space | Astronomy and Astrophysics, Instrumentation, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics | 1839 |
| Smithsonian Astrophysical ObservatoryCenter for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian | Cambridge, United States | Research institute Space | Astronomy and Astrophysics, Instrumentation, Nuclear and High Energy Physics | 1890 |
| Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General HospitalCenter for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital | Boston, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Molecular Biology, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Genetics | 2003 |
| Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive SciencesConnecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences | Storrs, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Cognitive Neuroscience, Experimental and Cognitive Psychology, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience | 2015 |
| Fraunhofer USA Center for Manufacturing InnovationFraunhofer USA | Brookline, United States | Research institute Industrials and manufacturing | Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Clinical Biochemistry | 1994 |
| Fraunhofer USA Center for Sustainable Energy SystemsFraunhofer USA | Boston, United States | Research institute Industrials and manufacturing | Building and Construction, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Electrical and Electronic Engineering | |
| George Perkins Marsh InstituteGeorge Perkins Marsh Institute | Worcester, United States | Research institute Environment and climate | Global and Planetary Change, Economics and Econometrics, Sociology and Political Science | 1990 |
| Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation InstituteHassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute | Providence, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | General Health Professions, Cognitive Neuroscience, Clinical Psychology | 2016 |
| Ibis Reproductive HealthIbis Reproductive Health | Cambridge, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Political Science and International Relations, Infectious Diseases | 2002 |
| Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and PolicyInstitute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy | Storrs, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health | 2002 |
| Institute for Community InclusionInstitute for Community Inclusion | Boston, United States | Research institute Social sciences and humanities | Safety Research, Clinical Psychology, Occupational Therapy | 1967 |
| Joslin Diabetes CenterJoslin Diabetes Center | Boston, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Surgery, Genetics | 1952 |
| Manton Center for Orphan Disease ResearchManton Center for Orphan Disease Research | Boston, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Genetics, Molecular Biology, Immunology | 2008 |
| MIT Media LabMIT Media Lab | Cambridge, United States | Research institute Technology | Human-Computer Interaction, Social Psychology, Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition | 1985 |
| New England Research InstitutesNew England Research Institutes | Watertown, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Psychiatry and Mental health, Urology, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism | 1986 |
| Northeast Radio Observatory CorporationNortheast Radio Observatory Corporation | Cambridge, United States | Research institute Space | Astronomy and Astrophysics, Aerospace Engineering | 1967 |
| St. Laurent InstituteSt. Laurent Institute | Woburn, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Cancer Research, Molecular Biology, Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine | 2005 |
| Storrs Agricultural Experiment StationStorrs Agricultural Experiment Station | Storrs, United States | Research institute Agriculture and food | Animal Science and Zoology, Agronomy and Crop Science, Molecular Biology | 1887 |
| New England Water Science CenterUnited States Geological Survey | Northborough, United States | Research institute Environment and climate | Water Science and Technology, Geochemistry and Petrology, Environmental Engineering | |
| Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science CenterUnited States Geological Survey | Woods Hole, United States | Research institute Environment and climate | Earth-Surface Processes, Ecology, Environmental Chemistry | 1962 |
| Wood Hudson Cancer Research LaboratoryWood Hudson Cancer Research Laboratory | Newport, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Cancer Research, Molecular Biology, Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine | 1981 |
Countries
Organisations
- Agricultural Research Service - Northeast Area
- Amazon
- Harvard University
- Hyundai Motor Group
- Microsoft
- NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
- United States Geological Survey
- Universities in United States
- US Department of Defense
- US Navy
Other leading ecosystems
- Paris and Saclay
- Beijing and Tianjin
- Washington DC and Maryland
- Greater Tokyo and Tsukuba
- Moscow
- Grenoble
- London and the Golden Triangle
- Greater Bay Area (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong)
- Shanghai and Suzhou
- Provence (ITER and Cadarache)
- Silicon Valley and the Bay Area
- Singapore
- Zurich, Basel and Aargau
- Randstad (Amsterdam, Delft, Leiden)
- Stuttgart and Karlsruhe
Questions and answers
How big is the Boston and New England R&D ecosystem?
It has 69 labs from 56 organisations, ranking number 26 worldwide in the 311 Institute Global R&D Labs Directory.
Which organisations have labs in Boston and New England?
They include Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University and Broad Institute.
What does the Boston and New England ecosystem specialise in?
Its main focus areas are molecular biology, public health, environmental and occupational health, genetics and astronomy and astrophysics.
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