CHAPEL HILL — The N.C. Biotechnology Center has made a $30,000 Company Inception Loan to X-In8 Biologicals Corp., a biotechnology company founded in 2008 as a spin-off from UNC Chapel Hill.
UNC Chapel Hill faculty surgeon Thomas Egan, founded X-in8 based on his discoveries in trying to develop therapies for ischemia-reperfusion injury, or IRI, the inflammation and related damages resulting from increased blood flow restored to tissues after a period of restricted blood supply.
Egan’s research has focused on keeping naturally occurring immune system proteins known as “toll-like innate immune receptors” from contributing to IRI.
The company plans to use the Biotech Center loan to help finalize its business plan and prepare for additional funding from investors and federal grants. Until now, Egan’s efforts have been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the UNC Lung Transplant Research Fund.
Nance named to RTRP post
DURHAM — Lee Anne Nance, director of Harnett Economic Development since 2003, has been named senior vice president of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership.
Nance will assume her post Oct. 1 and be responsible for leading implementation of the economic development plan for the 13-county Research Triangle region.
She replaces Ted Abernathy, who resigned from RTRP to become executive director of Southern Growth Policies Board.
Nance was director of Harnett Economic Development for six years. Prior to that, she was director of Marketing at Service Design Associates in Raleigh.
State’s IT job opening up
RALEIGH — The number of job openings in the information technology field increased slightly from July to August in North Carolina, but remains at less than half the level seen here a year ago.
The N.C. Technology Association said there were an estimated 1,070 openings in August, up from 1,060 in July, but still down significantly from August 2008, when there were 3,110 openings, and August 2007, when there were nearly 5,000 openings.
“In August, the daily average number of posted IT job vacancies increased by 0.9 percent, a signal that employers in the state are not ready yet for more staff,” the association said.
