Middlesex College has unveiled a new Aseptic Simulation Lab, a state-of-the-art facility designed to prepare students for careers in the rapidly growing fields of cell and gene therapy biomanufacturing. The new lab was made possible by a $250,000 contribution from Johnson & Johnson.
The Aseptic Simulation Lab, a joint initiative between the college’s Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning and the Department of Natural Sciences, provides learners with a controlled, sterile environment essential for handling cell cultures, tissues, and biological materials. This hands-on training is vital for careers in biomanufacturing, biotechnology, and biopharmaceuticals.
An aseptic lab is a sterile environment critical for preventing contamination during the production of life-saving medications or complex experiments. Students in the simulation lab will not only work with specialized equipment but will also be trained in the strict protocols for gowning, masking, and sanitization required in the industry.
Middlesex College President Mark McCormick emphasized the lab’s importance: “Thanks to the support of Johnson & Johnson, we are able to provide new opportunities for this lucrative and emerging field in the workforce. The Aseptic Lab offers learners the experience of engaging in realistic scenarios that will help them develop the critical thinking and understand the strict protocols necessary in this vital lab environment.”
The new facility is a key component of the college’s involvement with NJBioFutures, a workforce development coalition supported by Johnson & Johnson and other industry partners. The initiative, launched by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, aims to create a sustainable, skilled talent pipeline to support New Jersey’s expanding cell and gene therapeutics sector. Middlesex College, alongside Raritan Valley Community College and Mercer County Community College, will offer training and certification programs in these areas.
Kimberly Lounds Foster, vice president of Advanced Therapies Supply Chain at Johnson & Johnson, highlighted the broader impact: “To solve the toughest health problems we face today, students need exposure to environments that mirror real-world biomanufacturing and biotechnology settings… Johnson & Johnson is proud to work across communities supporting local institutions like Middlesex College… to ensure that our workforce has access to the hands-on experience and rigorous training required to power the next wave of health innovation.”
Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald Rios concluded by saying the lab “exemplifies the kind of partnership that fuels opportunity and drives progress in Middlesex County,” preparing students to excel in the growing biomanufacturing industry.
