Proud to Be a Part of RTP

Since 1959 the residents around The Research Triangle Park (RTP) have known what a great asset the Park is to our area. As the area grows, RTP continues to become more widely known as one of the largest and best research parks in the nation. With researchers who are working on dehydrated blood cells that last almost indefinitely and can be transported without refrigeration, it’s no wonder as to why.

In the May/June 2010 issue of MyMIDWEST, a multiple page story was written on the Park comparing our local area to acclaimed labs in Silicon Valley, MIT, and the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.

The magazine comments on the recent success of our area: “Last year, the region garnered approximately $1.9 billion in new investments and created more than 10,360 jobs in a number of fields, including life sciences, IT, and advanced medical technology.” These industries are just a few that Wake County Economic Development has been working in conjunction with RTP to promote and develop in the area.

It’s that type of collaboration that has made our area thrive in research and development. “We’ve probably got 15 to 18 different collaborations going on. No one scientist or company can have the total answer. But if you’ve got this little slice of the pie and you can find a friend down the street who’s got another slice and you put the two together, you’ve got something that has potential for solving a real problem,” commented local co-founder and CEO ofEntegrion Stan Eskridge Jr.

Many people may not realize that these collaborations have led to a bigger national footprint. But did you know the anti-cancer drug Taxol, 3D ultrasounds, the UPC barcode, and AstroTurf were all invented, developed, and marketed in RTP?

MyMIDWEST also attributes our consistent success to “a supply of brilliant researchers and inventors entering the workforce from nearby schools like Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University.” They also mention the incentives and government support that local businesses receive and the access to world-class medical facilities.

Eskridge stands in a lab while he is being interviewed, points out a scientist, and says, “I swear he’s going to cure Alzheimer’s disease. I’m looking into the future and with people like that, man, it looks bright.”