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BTEC hosts 5th Annual AIM-Bio Symposium
Published Nov. 25, 2024
BTEC hosted more than 80 participants at the 5th Annual AIM-Bio Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Symposium, which was held on the NC State campus Nov. 18–19. Faculty, staff and students from NC State and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), representatives of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, members of AIM-Bio’s External Advisory Board, and speakers and others from academia and industry participated in the two-day event.
The Accelerated Innovation in Manufacturing Biologics Program (AIM-Bio) is a collaborative project between NC State and DTU that began in 2020 and is funded by a five-year, $27 million grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. AIM-Bio, which aims to help improve human health through biologics, conducts research projects focused on biopharmaceutical product and process innovation. It is also helps to develop a skilled workforce for the biopharma industry through its educational programs and an international exchange program for graduate students, faculty and staff.
The symposium provided updates about AIM-Bio’s research projects and educational programs and highlighted accomplishments that have been achieved to date:
- Training has been provided to more than 850 industry professionals and university students through AIM-Bio’s educational programs.
- Nine research projects are being conducted in cell engineering, process analytical technologies and single-use devices.
- Since the AIM-Bio program began, more than 90 articles have been published by its participants; 17 of these are joint publications between DTU and NC State and/or industry partners.
- The collaborative work of AIM-Bio has been facilitated by 44 exchange visits of NC State and DTU faculty, staff and students.
The symposium also featured seven guest speakers, who presented talks on topics important to biopharmaceutical manufacturing, such as product/process innovation, research translation, workforce development, federal investment, economic development initiatives and more. Speakers included the following:
- Kelley Rogers, Ph.D., deputy director for the Office of Advanced Manufacturing, National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST), who spoke on “Promoting a Vibrant U.S. Bioeconomy: Biomanufacturing Investments and Priorities”
- Michael Phillips, Ph.D. director of Downstream R&D Innovation, MilliporeSigma, who presented “The Future of Biomanufacturing – Vision, Strategy, and Opportunities”
- Raj Narayan, associate director and professor of the practice of entrepreneurship, Kenan Institute for Engineering Technology and Science, who presented “Exploring the Technology Commercialization Process at a University”
- William O. Bullock, MBA, senior vice president, Economic and Statewide Development, North Carolina Biotechnology Center, who spoke on “NCBiotech, BTEC, and the Economic Impact of Biomanufacturing in North Carolina”
- John Balchunas, workforce director, The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL), who presented a talk on “The Role of Academic-Industry Partnership in Life Science Workforce and Talent Innovation”
- David Roush, Ph.D., CEO/distinguished scientist, Roush BioPharma Panacea, LLC, who presented “Enabling Innovation and Sustainability via Interdisciplinary Collaboration: A Scientist’s Random Walk-through Process Development and Time”
- Mike Hourigan, owner and managing director, Horizon Controls Group, who spoke on “Automation and AI in the Age of Pharma 4.0”
In addition, those attending the symposium participated in tours of BTEC and the local facilities of Grifols, Merck and FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies.