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N.C. Biotech Center awards $540,000 in grants for science curriculum projects

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Scientists and researchers as well as a program at the Moreheard Planetarium and Science Center will receive some $540,000 in grants from the N.C. Biotechnology Center to develop science curriculum at colleges and universities.

The grants are part of the Center’s Educational Enhancement Grants. Program.

Winners include:

• Steffen Heber, Ph.D., of NCSU: $80,146 to develop a library of interactive bioinformatics animations and to organize a symposium about bioinformatics education. The results of the animation library, the symposium and additional links to related educational resources will be made available to the public online.

• Morehead Planetarium and Science Center's DESTINY Traveling Science Learning Program at UNC-CH: $48,770 grant to help pay for a hands-on curriculum that introduces high school students to the use of the standard biotechnology process called polymerase chain reaction. The curriculum uses genetic testing for breast cancer.

• Russell Reeve, Ph.D., Campbell University Clinical Research Center: $33,650 to develop continuing-education courses aimed at helping scientists around the state better prepare themselves to work in research-based pharmaceutical companies.

• Joy Callahan, Johnston County Community College: $15,482 to develop an aseptic (sterile) environment certificate program to add to the workforce training offerings to the college's Continuing Education Division.

• Mickael Cariveau, Ph.D., Mount Olive College, $71,807: Develop a cell biology course and laboratory for undergraduate juniors and seniors. The course is being designed to better prepare Mount Olive graduates for jobs in North Carolina's growing biotechnology companies.

• Shea Tuberty, Ph.D., Appalachian State University assistant professor of biology: $62,000 grant to help buy instruments to detect toxic threats.

• Warren DiBiase, Ph.D., a specialist in teaching teachers with the Department of Middle Grades, Secondary and K-12 Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte: $59,000 to develop and implement a graduate-level biotechnology course for science teachers who work in the state’s middle and high schools.

• Lori Seischab, Ph.D., Western Carolina University: $52,410 to help equip a new biotechnology teaching laboratory for molecular biology, microbiology and forensics.

• Libby Puckett, Ph.D., also of ASU: $49,916 to help integrate modern biotechnology/analytical instrumentation and data-handling technology into some of ASU’s advanced-chemistry labs.

• Jens Carlsson, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor at the Duke University Marine Laboratory in Beaufort: $27,000 to develop forensic field kits for genetic testing to further marine conservation.

• Cynthia Warrick, Ph.D.: $18,000 to help the School of Mathematics, Science and Technology at Elizabeth City State University develop multi-disciplinary science curricula in fields such as bionanotechnology and bioinformatics.

• Mary Farwell, Ph.D., of East Carolina University: $15,000 to develop a certificate program in applied biology for MBA students who have not completed degrees in biology. Many of the state’s biotechnology-related jobs are ideally suited to people who understand science and business.

• Jameson McCann, Ph.D., of the Biotechnology Institute at Guilford Technical Community College: $7,383 to boost the school’s biotechnology workforce training program.

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