Furniture by Lowell, a furniture restoration company in Southeastern Virginia, has moved to 1601 E. Geer St., Suite B-4, in Durham. Furniture restorer Lowell A. Galumbeck began the company in 1987. Customers include Historic Colonial Williamsburg, the Mariner's Museum, Langley Air Force Base and Anheuser Busch.

Phase Bioscience, a biotechnology company in Research Triangle Park, has exclusive rights to patents relevant to the therapeutic use of elastin-like polypeptide technology. The patents are known as the Urry Portfolio. In addition, Phase Bio retained Dr. Michael Tuscan of Cooley Godward Kronish as its lead counsel. Tuscan is an expert in protein engineering intellectual property.

The N.C. Biotechnology Center provided loans to four start-up biotech companies in the state. NanoVector of Raleigh received $147,000 to continue development of its nanovirus, used to fight cancer. Arbovax of Raleigh received $150,000 to help the company develop a dengue fever virus that can be used in a vaccine for the disease. Countervail Corp. of Charlotte received $25,000 to help commercialize a drug for use as an antidote for military nerve gas and pesticide poisoning. EntoGenetics in Charlotte received $25,000 to finalize patents and develop its process for making spider silk.

Atlas Sales & Rentals, which distributes portable air conditioning equipment for the nonresidential market, opened an office at 10880 Star Road, Wake Forest. The company is a MovinCool distributor.

Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute has moved into the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis. Lovelace is a biomedical research organization that researches the prevention, treatment and cure of respiratory disease.

Advance Auto Parts, an automotive retailer, has opened at 205 Grande Heights Drive in Cary.

Research team Data Intensive Cyber Environments has joined UNC-Chapel Hill's School of Information and Library Science. The team, which specializes in digital data technologies, will have space in Chapel Hill's Renaissance Computing Institute.

Philanthropy

The Mazda Foundation renewed two four-year scholarships in UNC-Pembroke's School of Business. The scholarships, valued at $50,000, are Mazda's third four-year commitment to American Indian students.

Cancer Centers of North Carolina contributed $7,500 to the Devils Ridge Charity Golf Classic, a fundraiser for the fight against prostate cancer. Wake Radiology Oncology Services was a $5,000 elite sponsor of the event.

State Employees Credit Union Foundation awarded a $250,000 matching grant to Hospice of Wake County in support of the agency's campaign to build the first hospice facility in Wake County.

Raleigh Kiwanis Club Foundation in cooperation with Wake County Human Services and Hudson Belk at Crabtree Valley Mall, has provided 132 children in the Wake County foster care program with gift certificates totaling $3,565 since January to offset the cost of school shoes.

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Corporate Citizenship Foundation made a $50,000 fundraising commitment to Habitat for Humanity. The institute is based in Durham.

Chapel Hill artist Kimberly Alvis donated an oil painting to Works of Heart, an Oct. 11 charity art auction in Raleigh to benefit The Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina.

Staff and lawyers at Hunton & Williams in Raleigh donated 25 backpacks of school supplies to middle and high school children in North Carolina. The donation was given through the Back to School with Pride project developed by N.C. Guardian ad Litem. Hunton & Williams was also a sponsor of Duke University School of Law's 2008 Lawyer Education and Development week. Hunton & Williams hosted a professionalism luncheon and participated in an ethical scenarios seminar.

Next page >

Get $150+ in coupons in every Sunday N&O. Click here for convenient home delivery.