Editor's note: News Molecules are designed to give readers occasional tidbits of information about the N.C. Research Campus

By Emily Ford

eford@salisburypost.com

KANNAPOLIS — It hasn't officially opened yet, but the N.C. Research Campus is being billed by the Charlotte Biotechnology Conference as the "epicenter" of biotech research, commercialization and collaboration in the Charlotte region.

Organizers of the seventh annual conference will dedicate a large portion of the one-day event to discussions about the $1.5 billion life sciences complex in downtown Kannapolis.

"It's the anchor project that is going to build the biotech sector in the region," said Kenneth Paulus, conference producer.

The Charlotte Research Institute will host the conference Oct. 28 at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Directors and researchers from the eight universities with a presence in Kannapolis, including UNC-Charlotte, will pitch their research projects to business leaders and entrepreneurs who attend the conference.

The event has become the flagship biotech conference in the region, Paulus said.

It's a "one-stop shop" featuring all facets of North Carolina's growing biotechnology industry—research, economic development, investments and entrepreneurship, he said.

The rapid-fire format gives speakers throughout the day eight minutes to pitch their projects with a few minutes for questions.

Clyde Higgs, vice president for business development for campus developer Castle & Cooke North Carolina, will talk about the companies he has recruited to Kannapolis.

People can still register online for the conference, which is open to the public.

Faculty and students from the Research Campus partner universities can attend for free. Otherwise, registration costs $100 now and $125 at the event.

Dr. Roger Newton, the co-creator of Lipitor, one of the most prescribed drugs in the world, will deliver the keynote address.

Newton's themes of health and wellness complement initiatives at the N.C. Research Campus, Paulus said.

"It's about the health of patients," he said. "We hope people will become inspired and begin to think about how they can create partnerships and collaborations."

To register or learn more, go to www.charlottebiotechnology.com.

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