The Seventh Annual Charlotte Biotechnology Conference drew over 325 attendees at the Barnhardt Student Activities Center on the campus of UNC Charlotte.
More than 25 speakers discussed the latest in biotechnology economic development, research, investment and entrepreneurship. World class scientist, investor and entrepreneur, Dr. Roger Newton, discussed his role in the co-discovery of Lipitor® for Pfizer and the inspirational story of launching Esperion Therapeutics, a company that he sold in 2004 for $1.3 billion.
Lt. Gov. and Gubernatorial Candidate, Beverly Perdue, provided a luncheon keynote specifically focusing on her biotechnology platform as the Democratic Candidate. Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory was invited to participate but could not due to a schedule conflict. Video footage of Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue’s speech can be found by clicking here.
The Second Annual UNC Charlotte Graduate Student Poster Competition also took place. The following students took home $2,000 in cash prizes.
- 1st Place ($1,000) – Paulina Sierpinski, Wake Forest University – Extraction and reengineering of keratins from human hair fibers to accelerate nerve regeneration for patients with spinal cord injuries or nerve damage
- 2nd Place ($500) – Neelima Sukumar, Wake Forest University – Discovery of a protein that can be applied to a generation of new vaccines to prevent respiratory diseases
- Runner-Up ($250) – Sriram Ramanan, Wake Forest University – Development of a drug to prevent dementia in patients exposed to brain radiation
- Runner-Up ($250) – Catherine Ward, Wake Forest University – Creation of a tissue sponge capable of releasing oxygen to wounds for prevention of infections and promotion of healing
Visit www.CharlotteBiotechnology.com for additional details.
Sponsors of the 2008 Charlotte Biotechnology Conference include: UNC Charlotte; Charlotte Research Institute; Bruker BioSpin; Carolinas Healthcare Center; City of Charlotte Economic Development; PPD; Aerotek Scientific; BioNetwork; Black Diamond Capital Group; Cabarrus Economic Development, Charlotte Chamber; Charlotte Regional Partnership; Community Bank of Rowan; City of Concord; Central Piedmont Community College; dHinnant Business Solutions; Duke Energy; F&M Bank; Greiner Bio-One; Hammer & Associates P.C.; City of Kannapolis; North Carolina Biotechnology Center; On Assignment Lab Support; Rowan Cabarrus Community College; Summa, Allan & Additon, P.A.; BioConnect; Business Innovation & Growth (BIG) Council; The Ben Craig Center; Bright Yellow Jacket; SE Bio Investor Forum; Business Wire; SwampFox and SBTDC.
About UNC Charlotte
A public research university, UNC Charlotte is the fourth largest campus among the 17 institutions of the University of North Carolina system. It is the largest institution of higher education in the Charlotte region. The university offers 18 doctoral programs, 62 master’s degree programs and 90 programs leading to bachelor’s degrees. Fall 2008 enrollment exceeds 23,300 students, including almost 5,200 graduate students.
About the Charlotte Research Institute
The Charlotte Research Institute is the portal for business-university partnerships at UNC Charlotte. CRI includes eight multidisciplinary research centers and The Ben Craig Center, a business incubator. CRI supports new research ventures, partnerships with regional and national enterprises, and spin-off companies created from UNC Charlotte research results. The centers focus on Precision Metrology, eBusiness Technology, Optoelectronics and Optical Communications, Visualization, Motorsports and Automotive Engineering, Bioinformatics, Life Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Systems. http://www.CharlotteResearchInstitute.org
Contacts:
Kenneth Paulus,
704-687-8284
kennethpaulus@uncc.edu
