• July 20, 2009

    McIntyre Announces $14.9 Million for New Marine Biotechnology Facility at UNCW

    Washington, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Mike McIntyre announced today that $14,980,000 in federal funds have been awarded to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington for a new marine biotechnology facility that will support creating new jobs in North Carolina.  These funds were made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

    Congressman McIntyre stated, “What a great victory for UNCW, for jobs, and for the future of Southeastern North Carolina this new center will be.  This investment will keep our area on the cutting edge of lessening our dependence on foreign oil and building a brighter tomorrow.”

    The planned new Marine Biotechnology in North Carolina (MARBIONC) facility at the University of North Carolina Wilmington's Center for Marine Sciences will be a state-of-the-art, research-to-product building for MARBIONC, a marine biotechnology research program in support of economic development for North Carolina.

    The MARBIONC program focuses on the application of marine biotechnology to food, health and energy. Research areas include drug discovery based on compounds from marine organisms, detection technologies for both human-origin marine pollutants and biotoxins from microorganisms, algae farming for biofuels and mariculture (marine aquaculture).The program's economic development mission includes workforce development, and it offers a unique "business of marine biotechnology" postdoctoral training program to allow marine scientists to combine laboratory training with study towards a masters degree in business administration.

    The 69,000 sq. foot (6,410 sq. meter) MARBIONC facility will include 12 laboratories and three large incubator laboratories for cultured research materials, as well as offices and meeting spaces.

    Research at the new MARBIONC facility will support the mission interests of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in oceans and human health, marine ecosystems and aquaculture as well as NIST mission interests in new detection and measurement technologies.

    The facility is expected to be completed by summer, 2011.