Breakthrough Dividend: Appendix E - About the Sponsor

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center, established in 1981, is a nonprofit corporation funded by the North Carolina General Assembly. Its mission is to stimulate long-term economic development statewide by supporting biotechnology research, business, education and policy-making. The Center's 45-member staff works toward five goals:

• Enhance the research capabilities of the state's universities.

• Encourage collaborations among government, industry and academia.

• Assist business development.

• Educate and inform the public about biotechnology.

• Strengthen North Carolina's leadership in the development of biotechnology.

Active at all points in the movement of biotechnology from the mind to the marketplace, the Center interacts with all groups involved in developing the technology. To avoid duplicating the research capabilities of the state's universities and biotechnology companies, the Center conducts no laboratory research. Instead, it works to enhance the research programs of the universities and companies.