Western North Carolina

The Western Office of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and its regional partners are catalyzing economic development in Western North Carolina.  With a focus on natural biotechnology – the use of the latest biotechnology tools for the study of natural products – the region is going back to its historical roots as an epicenter of health and wellness to enhance its current economic infrastructure.

The region’s extraordinary biodiversity contributes to its rich history in the medicinal use of  plants and herbs – though only a small fraction of the area’s estimated 2,500 plant species have so far been examined for those uses.

The advisory committee for biotechnology in Western North Carolina, comprised of 25 of the region’s most prominent public and private leaders recognizes the importance of scientific investigation, commercial potential and preservation of these  medicinal species and has provided the guidance and counsel resulting in the establishment of the Bent Creek Institute.

The Bent Creek Institute has entered into an alliance with The North Carolina Arboretum, synchronizing global market opportunity with targeted collaborative research in natural biotechnology and integrative medicine. The Bent Creek Partnership is designed to facilitate natural product  commercialization and to support the expansion of the region’s vibrant natural products and alternative and complementary medicine industries.

In addition to natural product research, scientists at Appalachian State University, Western Carolina University, the University of North Carolina-Asheville, and North Carolina State University’s Research and Extension Center are hard at work in a variety of fields including forestry, biofuels, agriculture and aquaculture.

The entrepreneurial spirit is high in the mountains, particularly at the internationally renowned Small Business Center and Incubator at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.  Small businesses also get assistance from the BioNetwork BioBusiness Center and Tech 2020.

Biotechnology education and workforce development is growing at all levels across Western North Carolina, particularly through the biotechnology program at the regional community colleges. 

“There is a lot of excitement and energy in this region surrounding the potential of biotechnology,” said George Briggs, executive director of The North Carolina Arboretum and Chair of the Advisory Committee for Biotechnology in Western North Carolina. “The future of biotechnology in Western North Carolina is very promising.”