UMass Dartmouth has been awarded a $750,000 grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center to add advanced technologies to the University’s laboratory spaces, the university announced Monday.

The grant was part of the Baker-Polito Administration and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) announcement of 39 grants totaling more than $14.6 million.

“Stepping Stones: Achieving Greater Diversity in Life Sciences through Laboratory Science” focuses on UMass Dartmouth and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center’s shared commitment to increase diversity in the life sciences.

New equipment that will be purchased with the funds include: microbiology testing stations, blood testing equipment, and cell manipulation hardware.

Students in the program will utilize these new pieces of equipment and methodologies — which are the same as employers use in Massachusetts’s burgeoning life sciences sector — to help further their careers in the field.

“UMass Dartmouth is committed to growing our learning and research opportunities in the life sciences,” said Chancellor Mark A. Fuller. “This generous grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center will help our diverse student body enter the workforce prepared to continue the Commonwealth’s worldwide leadership in these crucial industries.”

With a 100% employment rate and a 100% pass rate on MLS professional certification, UMass Dartmouth's MLS program is ranked as one of the top programs in the country. While traditionally employed in health care facilities, students in the MLS program increasingly focus on careers in life science.