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State's biotech reach widens
Non-RTP centers growing important
Journal Photo by Jennifer Rotenizer
The Biotech 2008 conference meets at the Benton Convention Center. It was held in the Triad for the second time in three years.
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Published: May 20, 2008
Biotechnology in North Carolina may rotate around Research Triangle Park.
But the state's five biotech satellites, including a major and expanding presence in the Triad, are creating their own centers of gravity and influence.
Case in point: Biotech 2008 dedicated the first presentation of its two-day conference yesterday on statewide industry developments without even a cameo from RTP -- a global leader in the field.
Another example: The conference is being held at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem for the second time in three years.
"Biotechnology research is happening throughout the state," said Steven Casey, the vice president for statewide operations for the N.C. Biotechnology Center. "Nowhere else can you find the mountains-to-coast assets as in North Carolina. The crosspollination efforts of the state's six biotech regions make North Carolina unique."
The advantages of collaboration became clearer as the directors of the five non-RTP biotech centers provided updates on efforts revolving around Asheville, Charlotte, Greenville, the Triad and Wilmington.
All but the Triad have a major bioagricultural cog, and Eastern and Western North Carolina have a major biofuel focus, Charlotte and the Triad in nanotechnology and medical devices and Eastern North Carolina and Wilmington in marine biotechnology.
"The goal is creating links and bridges between regions, universities, industry and communities," said John Chaffee, the director for the Eastern N.C. center.
Another collaborative initiative is the Centers of Innovation, an offshoot of the N.C. Biotechnology Center. The goal of the centers, which are virtual rather than brick and mortar, is accelerating the "identification, development and commercialization of research within a specific biotechnology-dependent industry."
For example, the Piedmont Triad Partnership is working with N.C. A&T State University, UNC Greensboro and Wake Forest University to create a business plan to develop the N.C. Center of Innovation in Nanobiotechnology.
The partnership already has received $100,000 toward developing a business plan, with the second phase worth $2.5 million over four years if certain milestones are achieved.
Mary Beth Thomas, the senior director for the Centers of Innovation, said that part of the goal is pulling in resources that "may not fit in neatly with biotech projects."
"We want to be a one-stop shop for biotechnology solutions," she said.
The directors said that part of their mission is getting the word out, especially to teachers and students, of the job opportunities in the increasingly competitive biotechnology and life-sciences sectors.
"I hear a lot, ‘Don't let biotech opportunities pass our children by,'" said Marjorie Benbow, the director of the biotech center for the Greater Charlotte area.
"For every one biotech job created, there typically are five nonbiotech jobs created.
"Once people feel comfortable about what biotechnology is and how it works in their part of North Carolina, they better understand how they can participate and support biotechnology."
■ Richard Craver can be reached at 727-7376 or at rcraver@wsjournal.com.
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