A Year On, Mass. Life Sciences Act Fuels Research

Windham-Bannister said the center has worked closely with the unions and is keeping an eye on fair labor practices.

She said one project that has received $10 million in life sciences funds — a major renovation to the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole — used union labor.

The Woods Hole project is one of three major projects to receive life sciences grants.

The other two include the Genzyme biomanufacturing facility in Framingham and the Cummings School of Veterinary at Tufts University in North Grafton.

For the Genzyme project, the state gave Framingham $12 million for a pumping center needed to accommodate the wastewater runoff from the biomanufacturing facility, which is expected to employ about 300 workers.

The $9 million for the Tufts veterinary school will purchase equipment for a Level 3 biosafety lab, one of just 13 in the country, to study the transmission of diseases from mosquitoes, insects or other animals to humans.

The center also awards smaller grants and tax incentives to researchers, students, start-up biotech companies and universities.