The North Carolina Biotechnology Center plans to open two new regional offices in October.

When opened, the additional locations will give the Biotech Center a presence from the coast to the mountains. The regional offices are part of the Biotech Center’s “Project To Strengthen Biotechnology Across North Carolina”.

A Southeastern office will be dedicated in Wilmington on Oct. 10 at 4 PM.

An Eastern office will be dedicated in Greenville the following day at 1 PM.

The goal of the new office is to help drive biotech industry growth in the Eastern third of the state.

“I’m from Eastern North Carolina, and I know the great value and potential of biotechnology in our region,” said former North Carolina Gov. James Hunt Jr. “Having started the Biotechnology Center when I was governor, I am thrilled that the Center is establishing offices in Greenville and Wilmington.”

The Biotech Center’s first regional offices were opened in Winston-Salem and Asheville.

“Biotechnology offers extraordinary economic and social benefits for Eastern North Carolina in coming years,” said Leslie Alexandre, president and chief executive officer of the Biotechnology Center, in a statement. “Working with regional partners to deliver those benefits is sound strategy for the Biotechnology Center and follows the recommendations of New Jobs Across North Carolina: A Strategic Plan for Growing the Economy Statewide through Biotechnology.”

A primary goal of the plan, which was submitted to Gov. Mike Easley in February of 2004, is to help create 48,000 biotech-related jobs in North Carolina by 2013 and 125,000 by 2023.

Each regional office will be staffed by a director and an assistant. Regional advisory boards will also be created to help drive biotech industry growth.

A variety of institutions and agencies are providing support for the new offices.

The Greenville location is backed by East Carolina University, the Brody School of Medicine, the ECU Business School, and the ECU Office of the Provost as well as the Pitt County Development Commission, the Pitt County Committee of 100, the City of Greenville, Pitt Community College, and North Carolina’s Eastern Region Partnership.

UNC-Wilmington, the City of Wilmington, and New Hanover County are supporting the Wilmington office.

NC Biotech Center: www.ncbiotech.org

For details about the Biotech Center’s strategic plan, see: www.ncbiotech.org/strategicplan/