Winston-Salem wants funding for NanoMed Institute
Creation of the North Carolina NanoMedicine Institute in Winston-Salem's Piedmont Triad Research Park could generate as many as 6,000 jobs during the next 10 years, with an average annual salary of $87,000.
But first, chambers of commerce from around the Piedmont Triad must convince the General Assembly to provide $15 million in initial funding for the project, according to an announcement from the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce.
N.C. NanoMed would be an independent nonprofit medical testing facility designed to help companies obtain FDA approval for nanomedical products. The institute would include researchers from area colleges and universities, who would work with the companies in the testing process, the announcement said.
David Carroll, director of the Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials at Wake Forest University, said there is a shortage of such testing facilities, and that is impacting the industry's ability to bring nano-related products to market.
"N.C. NanoMed is expected to be one of only two FDA testing facilities in the nation, and will fill an unmet need for regulatory review of nanotechnology in medical applications," Carroll said.
Project boosters say the Triad already has a significant number of nanotechnology resources, and a facility such as N.C. NanoMed would draw many more.
Rep. Larry Womble, D-Forsyth, is currently drafting a bill for the $15 million funding request that will be submitted prior to the May 9 filing deadline.
If Winston is able to get this it would help the whole park, and new companies will start to move to the park.