State confronts growing competition for biotech.

• Position: Economic Outlook - Interview

A panel led by former governors Jim Hunt and Jim Martin released a 54-point plan in February for North Carolina's biotechnology industry. It sets a goal of having 125,000 jobs--a nearly seven-fold increase--by 2023 and calls for a five-year investment by state government of at least $650 million. Leslie Alexandre is president and chief executive of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.

BNC: What is biotech's economic impact?

Alexandre: We're talking about the tools that use living cells and their molecules to make or enhance products in industries basic to North Carolina such as agriculture, marine life, forestry and pharmaceuticals. In medicine they're being used to address muscular degenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, central nervous system diseases and all types of cancer.

Why was the study done now?

Last year, a $65 million biotechnology training initiative, funded by the Golden LEAF and the North Carolina Biosciences Organization, generated interest in spurring growth of the industry. Gov. Easley turned to us to develop an organized framework to help make decisions about future state investments so we do this wisely and in a way that plays to all of our strengths.

What are the state's strengths?

Our industry is fifth-biggest in the United States, with 18,500 people working for more than 150 biotechnology companies. We have all the different industries for which biotechnology applies. We also have a healthy base of emerging biotech companies.

How have legislators reacted to the tentative price tag?

I've received favorable comments from legislators across the state. Whether everybody thinks these are the appropriate investments, I'm not sure. I suspect what you will see will be a mixture, with people liking some of the 54 strategies recommended by our plan but not necessarily all of them.

Why is one of the initial priorities to have 48,000 biotechnology jobs by 2013?

There is a tremendous need for replacement jobs. Clearly we've lost tens of thousands of jobs over the last few years, with more anticipated, in some of our traditional manufacturing industries such as textiles, furniture and tobacco. Biotechnology is one of the fastest-growing areas, and we've only begun to scratch the surface in applying these new technologies to agricultural, pharmaceutical and environmental applications.

What role will universities play in expanding biotechnology?

They are essential for nurturing innovation that results in discoveries...