MESHSC: Cultivating Biotech Talent in South Carolina

Is South Carolina prepared for Biotech?

With the advent of exponential technologies, the Life Science and Biotech industry continues to drive forward with ever increasing speed. Is South Carolina’s workforce ready?

We will continue our MESH-SC conversation about biotech with Julian Nixon, Professor of Anatomy & Physiology and Department Head of Biological Sciences at Greenville Technical College  Julian will share an educational perspective of how students are being prepared for biotech careers. We will also tour Greenville Technical Colleges state of the art biotech lab.

Christian Graves, President of the Carolina Biotech Group will share an industry update and key developments in life science and biotech in South Carolina. He will also provide an industry perspective of what we need to do to prepare the SC workforce for careers of biotech.

RSVP early due to limited space. 

What is MESH-SC

MESH-SC stands for Manufacturing Engineering Sustainability and Health in South Carolina.  It represents an ecosystem of collaboration through the MESHing of growth industries and disciplines for economic progress in South Carolina.  MESH-SC advocates the continual building of a strong fabric of knowledge sharing between  advanced manufacturing, engineering, clean tech, and health-based industries through education, research, and projects.

About our Presenters

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Julian is an educator, motivational speaker, author and entrepreneur. He is a native of Atlanta, Georgia, but for over 9 years he has called Greenville his home. Julian is a Professor of Anatomy & Physiology and Department Head of Biological Sciences at Greenville Technical College. He is the Faculty Advisor for the African American Male Leadership Institute, an organization started by students, faculty, staff, administrators and community leaders to increase the retention and persistence of African American males on the collegiate level. The organization has seen its members achieve college graduation, transfers to four year institutions, distinguished military service and exceptional student leadership.

After rebounding from academic probation to graduate with two degrees from Clemson University, Julian found his passion in higher education. He created two YouTube channels (daprofessa77 and daprofessa nixon) that offer online tutoring in Anatomy & Physiology. He has also launched a website and authored a book on student success that targets the uncommon issues of student life hindering students from obtaining the full educational experience. Julian speaks each year on leadership, education, overcoming obstacles and the need for leading change.

Julian has participated in Leadership Greer, Founder’s Institute, GHS Development Council, Faculty Senate, GTC President’s Leadership Institute, SC, Annual Student Leadership Conference, South Carolina Technical Education Association, Clemson Black Alumni, Youth Ministry, Children’s Outreach, as well as partnerships with several other organizations and initiatives.

Julian has been blessed with several honors such as GTC Professor of the Year; SC Technical Educators Association Educator of the Year; NISOD Excellence in Education National Award; SC Governor Distinguished Professor of the Year; 107.3 JAMZ Black History Makers; Talented Tenth Top 10 Young Professionals Award; 96.3 Black History Makers; SC Black Pages Who’s Who of Colleges and Universities; and Business Black Box Magazine’s Trailblazer.

Julian often quotes a sample from the dissertation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which states that “I cannot be who I am supposed to be until you are who you are supposed to be; and you cannot be who you are supposed to be until I am who I supposed to be…this is the law of interrelatedness.” Julian enjoys writing, traveling, eating new foods, playing video games, collecting comics and working on his new start-up company. Julian is married to his college sweetheart Shante’.

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Christian is co-founder and chairman of the Carolina Biotech Group. Currently pursuing a path as a physician-scientist at USC School of Medicine, Graves is passionate about translating discoveries at the bench into meaningful therapies that benefit others. He is a South Carolinian through-and-through (just lacks the accent) and is proud to have returned to his roots after fellowship at the National Institutes of Health where he successfully pursued translational medicine with a focus in all things neuro. He thrives when working with diverse teams of innovators to improve health, rebels against traditional barriers to progress, and would like to see himself as a pioneer. He enjoys spending time in the mountains with his family rock climbing, biking, and whitewater kayaking, renovating his mid-century house, and rooting for his local hockey team.