<< Back 9/11/02 Universities combine to foster biotechnology training in WNC SMN With a pledge from U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor to seek $13 million in federal support, leaders from Western Carolina University, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and Furman University have formed a partnership aimed at boosting the emerging biotechnology industry in the western Carolinas. Christened the Western Carolinas Biotechnology Consortium, it is the latest in a series of initiatives announced by Taylor to try to stimulate economic development in Western North Carolina by improving the region’s educational infrastructure and stemming the phenomenon known as “brain drain.” “We cannot send our students to other parts of the United States and hope we’ll create technical industries here in Western North Carolina, because so many of our fine students go outside of the region for training and do not return. By having the training and research here, we’ll have the jobs here. That’s our primary goal,” Taylor said at a partnership signing ceremony Tuesday, Sept. 3, at UNCA. The projected $13 million in federal funding, to be sought in allocations over several years, will enable the three universities to jointly develop the high-tech resources, facilities and equipment needed to provide quality undergraduate and graduate training in several biotechnology fields, including genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics. Research conducted by faculty and students is expected to spin off start-up companies that will have a positive impact on the economy of WNC and Upstate South Carolina. Western Chancellor John Bardo said the partnership would enable the region to build its capacity to participate in the new economy of the 21st century while avoiding duplication of effort during tight economic times. “What this consortium is about is trying not to reproduce the wheel so that each university doesn’t have to go out and hire exactly the same people to do exactly the same work,” Bardo said. David Butcher, head of the department of chemistry at Western, gave some examples of biotechnology initiatives currently under way at WCU, including efforts to develop more commercially viable stands of hardwood trees; the use of root structures of certain types of plants to help clean up hazardous waste; and the search for biotech solutions to protect the endangered Fraser fir trees of WNC. UNCA Chancellor Jim Mullen hailed Tuesday’s announcement as “a very exciting moment for this region, for all the western Carolinas.” “Today we are talking about partnerships, about collaboration, about working together to enhance the quality of life not only for this generation, but for generations yet to come,” Mullen said. “We are stronger as individual institutions when we stand together. Today, we come together around this consortium in the area of emerging technologies that are going to make such a difference in this community, and we bring the great faculties of three fine institutions together in this effort.”