Travis McCready: Advancing the Life Sciences Ecosystem

Listen to this article

By Princess Jones Curtis

Waltham, MA —Travis McCready is President and CEO of Massachusetts Life Science Center (MLSC), a billion dollar public-private partnership, whose mission is to advance the life sciences ecosystem in Massachusetts.  Although MLSC has one mission, McCready has more than one business strategy, “I kind of design the strategy to suit the situation. I can tell you, however, that I have a deep belief in the power of communities, diversity, and the human spirit. No matter what I do, I always try to find a way to tap into that power, and magnify or channel it, for the benefit of those who wield that power, and toward the achievement of a positive mission.”

McCready describes his work directing and overseeing the center’s investment strategy as exhilarating, “The role places me at the global epicenter of the burgeoning life sciences ecosystem and affords me the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse network of leaders—scientific, academic, political, community, and civic. Every day, my brain is stretched in every direction possible. It is difficult to describe the rush I get from being exposed to the—sort of—molten core of innovation.”

“Data, data, data,” responds the Yale graduate when asked about the future for health and life sciences professionals; “Health and life sciences have entered the Data Age, where a byte of data is the new lingua franca.  Profound changes are on the horizon that will reshape everything from the way a patient receives care, from the so-called “Amazonification” of health care to whole new classes of therapeutic interventions, [called] “digital therapeutics,” and everything in between.” 

With all of that said, President McCready cannot think about the future without looking at his past years spent working in the NYC public school system.  Although that experience was nearly three decades ago, it still resonates with him. “The lessons they taught me are as raw as ever: inequity is not a choice; power imbalances are institutional; and responsible adults must be held responsible.  Regardless of where my career takes me, I try to do right by our kids, create clear pathways for them to achieve, and encourage other adults to do the same.”