NC Life Sciences Organization is new name for NC Biosciences group

DURHAM — The NC Biosciences Organization has changed its name to the NC Life Sciences Organization — or NCLifeSci for short — to reflect the dynamic growth and diversification of North Carolina’s life sciences industry.

NCLifeSci is the trade association for life sciences industry in North Carolina. The organization’s Board of Directors made the name change as part of a strategic planning process begun in 2022. The board chose the new name to better align with the current size and diversity of the industry in North Carolina, which has grown tremendously in the three decades since NCBIO was founded. The change to the new name went into effect Oct. 4 at the organization’s Annual Meeting.

“During NCBIO’s 30-year watch, North Carolina has grown to become the fourth largest biohub in the country,” said NCLifeSci President Laura Gunter. “The dramatic growth and success of the industry has led us to re-examine our role as its trade association. We felt we needed to change our name to more accurately reflect the scope and variety of the industry we represent.” 

While biosciences traditionally include the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, the life sciences encompass agricultural technology, food science, medical devices, digital health, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, environmental sciences, alternative fuels and more, as well as organizations that provide contract research, development and manufacturing services and support to life sciences companies. 

North Carolina was recognized as the fourth largest bio hub in the nation by Fierce Biotech. More than 800 life sciences companies call North Carolina home and provide high quality jobs with average annual wages of $112,000 (2021). Another 2,500 companies exist to support the state’s life sciences industry, according to the NC Biotechnology Center. 

The organization will adopt a new domain name for its website, nclifesci.org. Its current website domain and staff email addresses will continue to function for the near future. 

Founded in 1994, the NC Life Sciences Organization is a trade association advancing the state’s life sciences industry and ecosystem and enables its members to innovate and collaborate for success in a global marketplace. NCLifeSci delivers policy and advocacy leadership, future-focused workforce development programs, industry connections and mission-driven member services.

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