Alcami, under an academic partnership with the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) established in July 2016, have collaborated to develop two courses designed to enhance workforce education and prepare students for a career in pharmaceutical sciences.
 
Beginning in the spring of 2017, UNCW students had the opportunity to take an elective course co-taught by Alcami, “Pharmaceutical Drug Development and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) of Medicinal Products for Human and Veterinary Use.” Alcami employees from various functional areas, such as manufacturing, packaging, quality and laboratory operations, taught the course. This course was designed to provide students with an overview of the drug development process from concept to commercialization, focusing specifically on current good manufacturing practices (cGMP). Students were also introduced to available career opportunities in science, business or other roles within the pharmaceutical industry.
 
“This type of collaborative program is a first for Alcami, and we are excited and encouraged about the high level of interest and positive feedback that we have received,” said Dr. Stephan Kutzer, Ph.D., Alcami president and chief executive officer. “We are committed to building and maintaining strong relationships within the communities in which we operate, and with such a highly regarded university in our own backyard, we are privileged to have the opportunity to share our expertise with the university’s students. We look forward to continuing this partnership this upcoming fall.” 
A second laboratory-based course will be taught this fall at UNCW’s marine biology center. The Alcami GMP Training Lab will facilitate this course offering by focusing on the application of cGMPs in a drug development and testing laboratory. 
 
“We are excited to have Alcami as one of the primary tenants in the MARBIONC building,” said Dr. Ron Vetter, UNCW’s Associate Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School. “These private and public partnerships that focus on biotechnology, analytical sciences, and pharmaceutical research and development are just the kind of activities we envisioned for the facility when it was built.”