WORCESTER, Mass. — A Worcester professor received $750,000 in grants to add six machines to his biotechnology lab, enabling his research team to expand their capacity to perform experiments. 

The school held a ribbon cutting Wednesday to showcase the new technology. 

Clark University Professor Don Spratt's research helps inform the understanding of, and potential medical treatments, for a host of illnesses, including some cancers. 

Pratt said the technology will give students an advantage when applying to jobs after college. 

"A lot of companies are looking for specific pieces of equipment on people's resumes,” said Spratt. “The equipment we have here is to help them characterize and better understand biological molecules. So, whether that be DNA, RNA, proteins, interactions with drug molecules, everything that’s used in biotech and pharmaceutical companies, these are good hands-on learning opportunity for these students to be ready for good jobs in the future."

The Workforce Development Capital Grant money used to purchase the six pieces of equipment is from the Massachusetts Life Science Center.