(Source: Office of Sponsored Research. Updated: 05/2008.)
(Source: NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT). Updated: 05/2008.)
This report by the Huron Consulting Group (PDF, 2.8 MB) discusses the economic impact of research by North Carolina's public universities.
(Source: Huron Consulting Group. Updated: 2003.)
In 2007, research funding and technology development at Carolina continued its steady rise:
(Source: Office of Technology Development. Updated: 05/2008.)
Applying their inventions and their know-how for economic growth, current and former UNC-Chapel Hill faculty, staff, and students have helped create many new companies in the recent past, employing more than 300 people. These companies represent a rich pipeline of research and innovation that generates 120 invention reports each year.
(Source: University Gazette. Updated: 2/2007.)
Some of these start-up companies include:
Epizyme, Inc. was formed in early 2008 around epigenetic technology developed by Yi Zhang, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. Epigenetics involves activating and deactivating genes in cells without changing the structure of DNA. The ability to manipulate epigenetic activity could lead to powerful new drugs for cancer and other serious diseases. The company is located in North Carolina and Massachusetts .
Exigent Pharmaceuticals is located in Durham and was formed in 2008 around anti-infective agents discovered by Matt Redinbo in chemistry. The company is developing inhibitors of the bacterial enzyme Relaxase to treat hospital bacterial infections.
Novan, Inc . was founded in 2008 by Mark Schoenfisch in chemistry and Nathan Stasko, former graduate student, to develop nitric-oxide (NO) releasing nanoparticle technology. NO has garnered attention as a potential therapeutic because of its role in immune system response, wound healing, and blood pressure regulation.
Realtromins was founded in 2008 to commercialize novel advanced critical care monitoring technology that guides the care of critically ill children. The technology was developed by Keith Kocis, a pediatrician at UNC-Chapel Hill.
PharmatrophiX formed in 2007 around technology developed by Frank Longo, formerly Chair of the Department of Neurology. The company is focused on developing proprietary small molecules to treat the progression of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's.
Vascular Pharmaceuticals was formed in 2007 by Dave Clemmons in medicine to pursue two technologies related to novel targets important in the vascular complications of diabetes.
MegaWatt Solar was formed in 2006 by James Clemens and Charles Evans in physics and astronomy and Russell Taylor in computer science to conduct energy research and development and provide products and services in the field of solar energy. The company is located in Chapel Hill .
Viamet Pharmaceuticals was formed in 2006 by Holden Thorp in chemistry for the discovery and development of metal targeted therapeutics.
Algynomics, Inc. was founded in 2005 by William Maixner and Luda Diatchenko in dentistry around the use of human genomic variants (SNPs) for prevention, diagnosis, and pharmacological management of pain. “ The core mission of Algynomics is to become a world-wide leader in the area of pain diagnostics, management, and prevention by use of emerging methodologies with an emphasis in the field of pain genomics.”
AngleFix Tech was formed in 2005 by Laury Dahners in orthopaedics around a novel screw technology for orthopedic plates.
Applied Micro Products was formed in 2005 by Fred Pfaender in environmental sciences and engineering to develop products aimed at preservation of wood by treatment with non-toxic, biodegradable materials. Key markets for this technology include the U.S. Park Service, which currently does not preserve wood due to toxicity issues, and power companies for treatment of telephone poles. Applied Micro Products is located in Chapel Hill .
(Source: Office of Technology Development. Updated: 06/2008)
The results of an annual survey show that North Carolina parents support stepping up the state's anti-smoking efforts, including higher cigarette taxes and no-smoking policies in public places frequented by youth. Data were collected in 2006 by the North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics, and evaluated by the UNC School of Medicine's Tobacco Prevention and Evaluation Program.
(Source: UNC News Release. Updated: 03/2008.
Child abuse prevention experts from Carolina's Injury Prevention Research Center and School of Medicine and from Duke University Medical Center undertake a $7 million statewide shaken baby prevention project. The project, the largest and most comprehensive in the country, is designed to reach the parents of every baby born each year in North Carolina.
(Source: UNC News Release. Updated: 03/2008.
The National Institutes of Health awarded a $12.8 million grant to FPG Child Development Institute and the School of Education at Carolina to continue the largest study to date of how rural life affects child development. Launched five years ago, the Family Life Project has been following families living in two of the four major geographical areas of high child rural poverty: the African-American South and Appalachia.
(Source: UNC News Release. Updated: 03/2008.
A statewide anti-smoking campaign reached significantly more youths across North Carolina between 2006 and 2007, and most kids are paying attention to the message, according to an evaluation by researchers in Carolina's School of Medicine. The evaluation found that awareness of the campaign--called "Tobacco. Reality. Unfiltered." or TRU--increased from 54 percent of North Carolina youths in 2006 to 71 percent in 2007.
(Source: UNC News Release. Updated: 03/2008.
North Carolina's growing African American population contributes more than $44.7 billion to the state's economy through its purchases and taxes--$22,272 per black resident--while costing the state budget $4.5 billion--or $2,498 per black resident--for health care, education, and corrections, according to a new report by UNC researchers. If recent growth trends continue, the total economic impact of black spending in the state could increase to $60 billion by 2009.
(Source: UNC News Release. Updated: 03/2008.
A hybrid network of flood and weather sensors will give Brunswick County emergency managers advance warning about how fast water is rising along critical flood-prone roads in the county. The system is a prototype developed by the Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI), and makes use of a network of water-level sensors and new weather stations to give emergency personnel information about advancing storms and flood waters.
(Source: UNC News Release. Updated: 03/2008.