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N.C. Biotech Sector Is Fastest Growing In The Nation

Biotechnology leaders in North Carolina are encouraged by a new survey's results.  Officials with the Batelle Technology Partnership say North Carolina's biotech -- or life sciences sector is the third largest in the nation -- behind only California and Massachusetts.  Numbers show that while the state's economy has struggled, biotech has continued to prosper.  The state's biotech industry has grown 23-and-a-half percent from 2001 to 2010..faster than any other state.  Norris Tolson is C-E-O of  the N-C Biotech Center.

"We look at it as validation of the argument that we make that when you invest in really good industry opportunities like the life sciences industry, the returns are there," Tolson said.  "The life sciences industry in North Carolina now is the 2nd largest segment of North Carolina's economy -- second only to agriculture."

Batelle's researchers found the state's biotech industry supports more than 237-thousand jobs and generates 59 billion dollars in economic activity.

Gurnal Scott joined North Carolina Public Radio in March 2012 after several stops in radio and television. After graduating from the College of Charleston in his South Carolina hometown, he began his career in radio there. He started as a sports reporter at News/Talk Radio WTMA and won five Sportscaster of the Year awards. In 1997, Gurnal moved on to television as general assignment reporter and weekend anchor for WCSC-TV in Charleston. He anchored the market's top-rated weekend newscasts until leaving Charleston for Memphis, TN in 2002. Gurnal worked at WPTY-TV for two years before returning to his roots in radio. He joined the staff of Memphis' NewsRadio 600 WREC in 2004 eventually rising to News Director. In 2006, Raleigh news radio station WPTF came calling and he became the station's chief correspondent. Gurnal’s reporting has been honored by the South Carolina Broadcasters Association, the North Carolina Associated Press, and the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas.
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