Biotech institute to give NC Central significant presence

DURHAM — A new biotech institute is opening Monday at N.C. Central University that officials say will give the state school a place in North Carolina’s growing biotech community.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reports that the facility cost $20 million and was financed with money from the Golden LEAF Foundation. The foundation was created to distribute money from the
tobacco settlement for economic development.

N.C. Central Chancellor Charlie Nelms says the institute will help the university compete for the same students as established research schools such as Duke, N.C. State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The university expects to have 200 students in the drug manufacturing program by 2010.

Information from: The News & Observer, http://www.newsobserver.com

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