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Jim Crawford 2006 Graduate of Forsyth Technical Community College Associate of Applied Science in Biotechnology. WINSTON-SALEM. Three types of students. The “new student” fresh out of high school The “first time job hunter” for example the home maker who is starting a career
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Jim Crawford 2006 Graduate of Forsyth Technical Community College Associate of Applied Science in Biotechnology
Three types of students • The “new student” fresh out of high school • The “first time job hunter” for example the home maker who is starting a career • The “displaced worker” often having previous college
TIME LINE Late 80’s thru 2004 Mid to Late 70’s 2006 1973 Early 80’s NMSU B.S. Biology Boston Columbus Ohio Winston-Salem North Carolina
Worked 13 years for a fortune 100 hosiery manufacturer…2nd largest employer in North Carolina in the 1990’s • The plant I worked in, as well as the balance of their manufacturing plants in North Carolina no longer exist. • The textile industry of North Carolina was a victim of changing paradigms in the global economy and styles of dress
The impact of the new “global” economy with favorable offshore manufacturing was major, but not the only factor.
I retrained in a certification program in the promising electronics technology field…networking and computer server administration. • Joined a fortune 100 electronics component manufacturer with a large North Carolina presence. • In less than a year – an unfriendly corporate take over was paid for by cutting over 30% of the payroll and half the plants in North Carolina…even though the plants were productive and costs were competitive.
Again I was given the “opportunity” for a career change. I had two jobs eliminated by forces I had no control over. The computer/electronics industry was already feeling the same pressures as the textile had experienced. • I took a different approach this time, considering what I really wanted to do in life, what was my passion…this took me all the way back to my college days, my love for science, specifically biology. • Unfortunately science had changed a great deal in thirty years, my degree did not provide the credentials to work in even the most basic jobs.
Forsyth Technical Community College had the perfect vehicle to both update my credentials and allow me to pursue my goals sought over thirty years ago. • I believe a career based on evolving knowledge, such as biotechnology…will not stand still long enough be copied and decimated by the “global economy” such as the textile industry, and a key asset desired by a corporate take over would be the individual’s unique knowledge.
I entered the community college program and was impressed by the level of academic quality exemplified by teachers and coursework. • I also discovered I was able to achieve greater academic success then I had ever attained before. • I think its important to share with you what I believe is the key to that success…its linked to three rules…just like the three golden rules of successful real estate • Location, location, location.
Visualizing my goals • Visualizing my goals • Visualizing my goals
The program at Forsyth Tech allows graduating students to work as interns during their final semester. • I was given the opportunity to work at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Winston-Salem. • The Director, Dr. Anthony Atala, is known internationally for his work in functional repair of tissue and organs and has received recognition as one of the pioneers in stem cell research with clinical success in reconstructing bladders for children using their own cells to grow the complex tissues and restore functionality.
At the end of my internship I was offered a full time position to work in the lab primarily expanding and differentiating stem cells derived from amniotic fluid. • After 2 months, the position of Tissue Culture Core Tech was offered to me. • My duties include training and supporting over 90 researchers, writing SOP’s, maintaining five tissue culture rooms with 17 hoods (BSC’s), 38 incubators and ordering over $1.5MM in culture media and materials inventory annually.
How Do We Get hAFS? Obtain from standard amniocentesis Establish Culture Select the unique stem cell type Characterize cells
Stem Cells Derived from amniotic fluid are multipotent BONE Osteocalcin MUSCLE Desmin FAT Adiponectin ENDOTHELIAL Light NERVE Nestin
Stem cells are present in all of our major tissues, both young and old • Much of our research focuses on those rare stem cells and developing therapies using a person’s own cells
My thanks to • My wife Roberta, who supported and encouraged me to realize my goals. • The folks at Forsyth Technical Community College for having the vision and foresight to develop a program that enabled me to enter one of the most complex and exciting areas of research and development …with the skills and knowledge that allowed me to be productive from day one!