| RELEASE: Immediate | CONTACT: Susan Seymour, Norman Smit |
| DATE: November 8, 2004 | PHONE: (919) 807-7155 or 807-7181 |
NCCCS BioNetwork Bioprocessing Center Opens
Greenville - The BioNetwork Bioprocessing Center has officially opened its doors, holding a ribbon cutting attended by industry, local development agencies and educators. The Bioprocessing Center is one of six North Carolina Community College System BioNetwork Centers. The center, which is in the Pitt County Technology Enterprise Center building, will promote biotechnology workforce development. It was created to help grow existing biotechnology firms in North Carolina and to recruit new industry to the state.
Pitt Community College, which already teaches biotechnology curricula, is the host institution for the center, which is part of the economic development strategy for the entire state. The Center will serve as a hub of specialized expertise in bioprocessing for BioNetwork. "North Carolina is already well placed to attract a disproportionate share of new biomanufacturing facilities to the state as new products and indications are approved and need to be produced," said Susan Seymour, BioNetwork Director. "The Bioprocessing Center will keep the state's workforce at the cutting edge, as new manufacturing technologies evolve", she said.
Studies show that a well-trained workforce is a key factor when biopharmaceutical companies are deciding where to locate a new facility. The role that community colleges are playing in retraining the state's workforce for new, knowledge-based technologies is a key part of Golden LEAF's strategy. Golden LEAF provided $8.7 million of start-up funding for BioNetwork. Mark Sorrells, Golden LEAF Senior Vice President, says this sends a clear message. "The investment in biotechnology has positioned North Carolina so that other states are going to find it very hard to keep up," Sorrells said.
The six BioNetwork Centers will each have a specific area of responsibility that is key to training a world class workforce for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. The Centers will remain at the cutting edge of their field and train trainers and faculty of colleges throughout BioNetwork, thereby maximizing the effectiveness of the community college system as a whole and making North Carolina responsive to the needs of the industry in the state.
Bill Cooper, the Bioprocessing Center Manager, is keenly aware the statewide role the center will play. "The BioNetwork Bioprocessing Center will service the biotechnology cluster at all North Carolina community colleges," he said. In the short time since his appointment in October, he has been networking with industry to determine priorities. The center will develop and enhance curricula designed for the biomanufacturing industry, both at entry level as well as higher on the career ladder. The educational materials it develops will be shared statewide to improve workplace competencies.
The other BioNetwork Centers are:
· The BioNetwork Capstone Center, a dedicated Community College clean-room space at the Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), a commercial scale pilot plant facility at NC State's Centennial Campus.
· The BioEd Center, which opened on October 27th, 2004.
· The BioNetwork Pharmaceutical Center
· The BioNetwork BioAg Center
· The BioNetwork BioBusiness Center
For further information, contact:
Norman Smit
NCCCS BioNetwork Marketing Director
Smitn@nccommunitycolleges.edu
200 West Jones Street
5003 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-5018
(919) 807-7181
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