BASF and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill enter research partnership

Scientific collaboration between industry and academia to address global challenges 

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC and CHAPEL HILL, NC, September 1, 2020 – BASF and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill today announced the signing of a Master Research Agreement. It will facilitate easier collaboration between industry and academia on the journey to jointly address global challenges such as climate change, food security and scarcity of resources. The interdisciplinary approach will draw on the strengths of each organization to accelerate scientific discovery. By connecting its deep scientific expertise to UNC-Chapel Hill’s fundamental research capabilities, initially focused on biomedical, health and pharma applications, BASF expects to find new innovations for its customers in agriculture, health and personal care.

“Teaming up with UNC-Chapel Hill, a leading global university located in close proximity to us in Research Triangle Park, NC, will not only improve the impact of our research activities, but also give us more access to technologies beyond our in-house expertise to solve societal challenges,” said Peter Eckes, President, Bioscience Research and Regional Research Representative North America at BASF. “We are eager to see the results of our partnership with the Master Research Agreement in place that will enable us to collaborate more quickly across areas of common interest to drive innovation.”

The Master Research Agreement containing pre-agreed terms for intellectual property, publication and confidentiality will enable open scientific discussions and speed up the process of starting collaborations. Several research projects focused on plant science are already under way.

“Our partnership with BASF is a great example of the culture of collaboration that we have fostered at Carolina,” said UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz. “Combining our scientific expertise and research capabilities through the Master Research Agreement will enable Carolina and BASF to solve the grand challenges of our time and produce results that will benefit the people of North Carolina, the nation and the world.”

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 18,800 employees in North America and had sales of $18.4 billion in 2019. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2019. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at http://www.basf.com.

About the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university, is a global higher education leader known for innovative teaching, research and public service. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, Carolina regularly ranks as the best value for academic quality in U.S. public higher education. Now in its third century, the University offers 77 bachelor’s, 107 master’s, 65 doctorate and seven professional degree programs through 14 schools, including the College of Arts & Sciences. Every day, faculty, staff and students shape their teaching, research and public service to meet North Carolina’s most pressing needs in every region and all 100 counties. Carolina’s 341,972 alumni live in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories and 159 countries. More than 185,118 live in North Carolina.