Bioinformatics Network

Centralina Economic Development Commission
a new approach to regional prosperity

Bioinformatics Education Forum

The Bioinformatics/Biotechnology Forum on Education was held on June 15th. This forum for community colleges, four-year educational institutions, and K-12 systems in the Centralina region served to investigate bioinformatics and biotech and to identify what resources are available to help prepare students of all ages for careers in the growing biotech industry.
Click below to view presentations from the Forum.

Setting the Stage for Biotech in Our Region
Dr. Kathleen Kennedy, NC Biotech Center

Bioinformatics: What Is It?
Dr. Larry Mays, UNC Charlotte

Biotech: Jobs, Training and Educating a Workforce
Dr. David Brigham, BioNetwork BioEd Center

Bioinformatics Industry Profile

Bioinformatics is a relatively new industry that utilizes tools from the computer science and biotechnology industries to solve important biological problems in medicine, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, energy and the environment. This and other biotechnology sectors are proving to be key new industries offering sustained economic development and job creation. The growth of the bioinformatics industry in the Centralina region will require a well-trained workforce with specialized skills.

Learn more about current Bioinformatics Workforce and Wages in the Centralina region.

Regional Bioinformatics Network

The Regional Bioinformatics Network serves to define and guide the emerging bioinformatics sector in the region, and to provide networking opportunities for organizations and institutions as the industry develops. Bioinformatics Network activities include:

	Convene regular events to provide networking and educational opportunities for industry members
	Ensure that businesses and educational institutions in the Centralina region are connected to statewide programs and initiatives at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center
	Monitor need for and availability of capital resources in the region for early stage ventures in the industry
	Catalogue businesses in the region that can participate in the emerging bioinformatics industry

CEDC Bioinformatics Committee

The goal of the Bioinformatics Committee is to support the development of a viable bioinformatics industry in the Centralina region. The Bioinformatics Committee will:

	Develop regional Bioinformatics Network and serve as link to CEDC Board and Municipal Governments
	Provide education about bioinformatics and determine the needs of this fast-changing industry, including: workforce development, support for entrepreneurial businesses, and research opportunities
	Advise on appropriate public policies to support the development of the bioinformatics industry in the region
	Build and maintain support for the long-term effort that is necessary to grow a new technology industry
	Complete an inventory of existing and potential regional assets for the development of the industry