NJIT and Made Scientific Forge Alliance to Train Future Biotech Leaders

PRINCETON, N.J. and NEWARK, N.J. – March 26, 2026 – In a move set to bolster New Jersey's burgeoning biotechnology sector, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Made Scientific, Inc. have announced a landmark partnership to cultivate the next generation of cell and gene therapy (CGT) experts. The collaboration will establish a new graduate-level bioprocessing course, directly embedding industry expertise into academia to address a critical talent shortage in one of modern medicine's most promising fields.

This initiative will see the Princeton-based cell therapy manufacturer, Made Scientific, co-develop and deliver an elective course within NJIT's Master of Science program in Chemical and Materials Engineering. Launching in the spring of 2027, the program is designed to equip students with the practical skills and real-world knowledge needed to transition seamlessly from the classroom to the complex environment of advanced therapy manufacturing.

Addressing a Critical Industry Bottleneck

The cell and gene therapy sector is expanding at an unprecedented rate, yet its growth is increasingly hampered by a significant bottleneck: a shortage of skilled professionals. Industry reports consistently highlight a widening gap between the demand for talent and the available supply, particularly in the technical and manufacturing domains. This scarcity of expertise in areas like process development, quality control, automation, and data analytics threatens to slow innovation and delay the delivery of life-saving treatments to patients.

The new partnership aims to tackle this challenge head-on. By integrating Made Scientific's hands-on manufacturing experience directly into NJIT's curriculum, the program is poised to produce graduates who are not just theoretically knowledgeable but also operationally proficient from day one.

"By combining Made Scientific's hands-on manufacturing expertise and our workforce development & training program with NJIT's academic excellence, we are creating a truly differentiated learning experience — one that will produce industry-ready professionals capable of driving innovation in CGT manufacturing," said Syed T. Husain, Chairman & CEO of Made Scientific.

The curriculum will be built upon the foundation of the Made Scientific Foundry™ scholar program, an initiative specifically designed to bridge the gap between academic theory and the rigorous demands of a commercial CGT manufacturing environment.

A New Model for STEM Education

This collaboration represents a significant evolution in STEM education, moving beyond traditional lectures and labs toward a deeply immersive, industry-integrated model. Unlike other programs that may offer tangential industry exposure, this partnership places a commercial-stage contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) at the core of the educational experience.

Students will learn using the same standards, tools, and workflows that are actively employed in Made Scientific's facilities for developing and manufacturing autologous and allogeneic cell therapies. This includes access to simulated Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) environments, offering an authentic preview of the highly regulated and complex world of bioprocessing. This hands-on approach is a key differentiator from many other academic programs across the country. While institutions like North Carolina State University's BTEC and University College London's MBI program are notable for their own industry collaborations, the direct co-development of curriculum by a working CDMO like Made Scientific provides an exceptional level of real-world relevance.

"This partnership brings industry-leading CGT expertise into our graduate curriculum in a way that is immersive, practical, and immediately relevant," explained Moshe Kam, Dean of NJIT's Newark College of Engineering. "Together, we grow and strengthen the advanced therapies workforce and support New Jersey's position as a global leader in biomanufacturing."

Bolstering New Jersey's Biomanufacturing Dominance

The initiative does more than just create a new course; it reinforces New Jersey's status as the "Medicine Chest of the World." The state's life sciences sector is a powerhouse, contributing over $120 billion to the economy and supporting more than 350,000 jobs. With eight of the world's top ten pharmaceutical companies maintaining a presence in the state, New Jersey has become a global nexus for biopharma innovation.

This partnership is a strategic investment in the human capital required to sustain and expand that leadership. State-level bodies like the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) have consistently supported the growth of the biotech ecosystem, and this collaboration between a leading public research university and a specialist CDMO exemplifies the public-private synergy that fuels the state's success.

"Talent is everywhere, but opportunity must be created," stated Teik Lim, President of NJIT. "This partnership is a great opportunity to equip NJIT graduate students with the hands-on knowledge and industry fluency to enter the workforce in cell and gene therapy and related fields ready to contribute from day one while strengthening New Jersey's position as a national leader in biomanufacturing innovation."

The alliance is not new but rather the formalization of a long-standing relationship. Made Scientific itself is a success story born from NJIT's own New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII), demonstrating a virtuous cycle where academic incubation leads to commercial success, which in turn feeds back into the academic system to cultivate future innovators. By creating a dedicated pipeline of highly skilled professionals, NJIT and Made Scientific are ensuring that the state's biomanufacturing engine has the fuel it needs to drive the next wave of medical breakthroughs.