The North Carolina Biotechnology Center has laid off seven employees and announced cuts to several of its programs as part of a plan to bring expenses in line with a 27 percent budget cut.

The layoffs bring the Biotech Center’s headcount to 69, down from 76. The layoffs came across programs, support services and regional offices.

The state budget slashed the Biotech Center’s appropriation from $17.2 million to $12.6 million, forcing the center to make cuts. In addition to the layoffs, the Biotech Center is ending the Education and Training program; cutting research grants programs by closing the Multidisciplinary Research Grants and trimming the Institutional Development Grants, Biotechnology Research Grants and Collaborative Funding Grants; trimming community and economic development programs by ending the Regional Development Grants and reducing the Biotechnology Meeting Grants, Presidential Initiative Awards and Economic Development Awards; and ending the Industrial Fellowship Program and reducing the Small Business Research Loans.

“It is difficult to shutter programs that are significant to our life science community,” Biotech Center Executive Director Norris Tolson said in a statement. “Each of these programs had outstanding success metrics, leveraging additional investment and jobs. However, with limited resources, and with the legislature’s direction in the budget resolution, changes must be made.”

Awards already made in the programs that were cut or reduced will be honored by the Biotech Center.

Biotech Center staffing levels could be reduced further through a voluntary separation program that was announced last month. That program gave veteran Biotech Center staffers the chance to volunteer to leave the center with a severance package. While the sign-up period ended Aug. 15, separation decisions will not be finalized until Sept. 30.