RALEIGH:  The State Board will make a decision on Biotech grants to community colleges at a special called meeting on May 4th. On that date they will make decisions on the recommendations made to them by grant review panels. The panels, each of which was made up of members of the board, Golden LEAF, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, industry experts and the Community College System's BioNetwork, reviewed over 50 proposals before drafting a document of recommendations for the State Board. The recommendations have been put to the board in an information session on April 15, 2004. A decision on the document has been postponed, however, until the final recommendation on one re-issued Request for Proposals is added. The Request for Proposals that has been re-issued was for the BioProcessing Center. No proposals were received in the original RFP that met the issuing guidelines. That final, outstanding recommendation will be submitted to the board shortly before May 4th, at which point the board will decide on the recommendations already presented and the recommendation for BioProcessing Center. The board's decision on the grants then goes to Golden LEAF, which has the final authority on the outcome. A decision from Golden LEAF is expected shortly after the State Board's decision-making session. A summary of the recommendations made to the State Board so far is as follows:

1.  BioProcessing Center:
This proposal was for a center specializing in biomanufacturing technologies utilizing fermentation cell culture and other associated processes. This RFP was re-issued as no proposals were received that met the original RFP issuing guidelines.

3.  Agriculture Biotechnology Center:
Expertise in animal and plant applications used in medicine, food safety, farming and environmental impacts; forestry biotechnology for sustainability of forests and production of superior wood products using molecular markers, vegetative propagation enhancements and genetic modifications of forest tree species; and, marine biotechnology using latest breakthroughs in molecular biology, genetic engineering and cell science discovering organisms that heal wounds, destroy tumors, prevent inflammation, relieve pain and kill microorganisms. Other important impacts of marine biotechnology applications in North Carolina will be increased food supply through aquaculture, enhancement of seafood safety and quality and innovative techniques to restore and protect aquatic ecosystems. The recommendation for this center was Robeson Community College for the grant of $320,000.

1.  Continuing Education and Short Course Development Center:
Creating and updating employer-driven and continuing education and training products including BioWork. It will lead conversion of non-credit short courses into optional credit modules. It will involve a pilot conversion process of validated industry experience and modularization of education programs that can be aggregated over time to achieve recognized credentials. The college recommended for this center was Gaston College and the grant was for the full $320,000.

Community colleges demonstrated:
*  Qualifications of those responsible for equipment/facility enhancements
*  How their request fits into their laboratory resource plan
*  Anticipated benefits

Construction of new buildings or building additions is not a permissible use of these funds. Community colleges are encouraged to utilize other fund sources for necessary or required capital improvements related to these requests.

Proposal:         Central Carolina Community College
Project Title:     Equipment to Teach Downstream Processing
Funding Recommendation:     Partial Funding 84,200

Proposal:         Haywood Community College
Project Title:     Equipment to Enhance Training in Forest Technology and Horticulture
Funding Recommendation:     Full Funding 133,092

Proposal:         Johnston Community College - Chemistry Labs
Project Title:     Equipment for Chemistry Laboratory for Associate Degree in Pre-Chemistry
Funding Recommendation:     Partial Funding 138,950

Proposal:         Lenoir Community College
Project Title:     Equipment to Enhance Science Curriculum and BioWork
Funding Recommendation:     Full Funding 83,479

Proposal:         McDowell Technical Community College
Project Title:     Laboratory Equipment to begin BioWork training
Funding Recommendation:     Partial Funding 75,000

Proposal:         Nash Community College
Project Title:     Equipment Required to Enhance Existing Biology Program
Funding Recommendation:     Partial Funding 74,000

Proposal:         Piedmont Community College
Project Title:     Biotechnology Equipment Enhancement (BEE): Enhanced Laboratory Technology Program
Funding Recommendation:     Partial Funding 56,000

Proposal:         Robeson Community College
Project Title:     Facility Enhancement to Support Agricultural Biotechnology
Funding Recommendation:     Partial Funding 185,950

Proposal:         Sampson Community College
Project Title:     Equipment to Enhance BioAgricultural (Animal Applications) Training
Funding Recommendation:     Full Funding 163,811

Proposal:         Surry Community College
Project Title:     Equipment for Agricultural Programs such as Viticulture
Funding Recommendation:     Partial Funding 110,000

Proposal:         Vance-Granville Community College
Project Title:     Equipment for Fermentation Technology Training
Funding Recommendation:     Partial Funding 56,700

Proposal:         Western Piedmont Community College
Project Title:     Enhancement of Chemistry and Biology Laboratory Equipment
Funding Recommendation:     Partial Funding 60,000

Proposal:         Wilson Technical Community College
Project Title:     Enhancement of Facility to Increase Laboratory Space
Funding Recommendation:     Partial Funding 95,500