UNC Greensboro Receives $2 Million for NC BioMISSION Workforce Program

In a press release, UNC Greensboro announced it has received a $2 million award to establish NC BioMISSION, a bioindustrial workforce training and research initiative in North Carolina. The funding comes from BioMADE, a Manufacturing Innovation Institute sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense.

NC BioMISSION will prepare students for careers in biotechnology and bioindustrial manufacturing by providing technical and industry-aligned training. The program will include a self-paced certificate available to all majors beginning in January 2027, combining in-person classes, online modules, and virtual reality experiences. Coursework will be developed with input from an industry advisory board to ensure alignment with employer needs.

Students will gain experience in areas such as industrial reactor operation, data analytics, data science, and machine learning for process optimization. The program will also offer capstone projects with industry partners and conduct research on effective methods for transferring bioindustrial skills. NC BioMISSION will operate within UNCG's iCOMMAND research institute and aims to create a scalable model for workforce development in bioindustrial manufacturing.

The initiative is one of six educational and workforce projects funded by BioMADE this year and seeks to strengthen North Carolina’s position in the growing bioindustrial economy.