MEDIA ADVISORY

October 20, 2006

NC State University Bioprocessing Symposium Brings Together Researchers
and Industry Leaders

  — This is the first industry-university collaborative symposium on this topic in North Carolina

North Carolina State University, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center (NCBC), and the William R. Kenan, Jr. Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science at NC State will host a two-day symposium to expand industry-university relations. According to Dr. Ruben Carbonell, director of the Kenan Institute, by creating an opportunity for academic researchers and industrial representatives to share ideas and perspectives, the symposium could open channels for future collaborations that would facilitate the technology flow from university laboratories to the marketplace. This symposium will also help to kick-start the Bioseparations and Bioprocessing Development Center (BBDC) at NC State University, an initiative that aims to facilitate industry-university interactions in this important area for the future economic growth of the state. The symposium will be held Wednesday, October 25, and Thursday, October 26, at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center in Research Triangle Park. It is one of the events of the Bioseparations and Processing Development (BPD) program at NCBC. The media is invited to attend.

“This conference is the first university-wide gathering of faculty engaged in bioprocessing research,” says Dr. Peter Kilpatrick, professor and head of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and director of the Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC). “It is also the first industry-university collaborative symposium on this topic in North Carolina.”

“The symposium is the first step to developing a vehicle for connecting academic researchers with industries that might be interested in their work,” said Carbonell.

Carbonell was inspired to develop the BBDC/BPD symposium through his work with BTEC, a new center located on NC State’s Centennial Campus that allows educators and industry to work together to create a well-educated, better-prepared work force for the biotechnology industry. The Bioseparations and Bioprocessing Development Center (BBDC) and BTEC are based on the idea that by facilitating university-industry relations, both will benefit through the production of new technologies and processes that will enhance research and advance the industry.

“I see this as an extension of our work with BTEC,” says Carbonell. “If the biotech industry is looking to us, through BTEC, to supply an educated and well-trained workforce for the biotech industry, then it seemed appropriate to see how university researchers and university infrastructure could help the biotech industry solve some of their manufacturing and processing challenges. The BBDC will be a conduit for collaboration for academic researchers and industry to develop new technologies and processes to help advance the industry.”

Carbonell envisions yearly symposia that will give researchers the opportunity to listen to the needs of industry and industry leaders the opportunity to learn what research is being conducted. Carbonell notes that the resulting transfer of technology to industry or the possible genesis of start-up companies through the BBDC is extremely promising.

“The economic impact of a collaboration of this type would be significant,” says Carbonell.

For more information or to register, visit http://www.ncbiotech.org/bpd.

— weston —

Industry and university speakers and topics are listed below.

Dr. Jörg Thömmes, director of purification, Biogen Idec, “Current Problems and Future Trends in Industrial Bioseparations”

Keven Wenger, manager of bioethanol R&D, Novozymes, “Bioethanol: Enzymes Enable New Technology”

John Gasdaska, director of protein science, Biolex, “Technology Challenges in the Production of Plant Based Pharmaceuticals”

John Quirke, director, ABB Automation, “Automation for Biomanufacturing”

Dr. Ruben Carbonell, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, “Bioseparations Research at NC State”

Dr. Steve Kelley, Department of Wood and Paper Science, “Biomass, Biofuels and Bioenergy Research at NC State”

Dr. Henry Lamb, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, “Bioreactors Research at NC State”

Dr. Jason Haugh, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, “Cellular and Interfacial Processes Research at NC State”

Technical contact:
Dr. Ruben Carbonell, 919.515.5118, ruben@ncsu.edu

Media contact:
Jennifer Weston, 919.515.3848, weston@ncsu.edu

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