BASF Forms Research Partnership with UNC-Chapel Hill

German chemicals giant BASF announced the signing of a new Master Research Agreement with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill this week that provides a framework for the firm to more easily collaborate with the institution on important global issues like climate change, food security and resource scarcity.

“Teaming up with UNC-Chapel Hill, a leading global university 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,” Peter Eckes, president of Bioscience Research and regional research representative North America at BASF, said in a company release. “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.”

BASF and UNC-Chapel Hill will initially focus on researching biomedical, health and pharmaceutical applications. The company said the partnership could result in new agriculture, health, and personal care products.

“Our partnership with BASF is a great example of the culture of collaboration that we have fostered at Carolina,” UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz said in a statement. “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.”

The agreement includes pre-agreed terms for intellectual property, publication, and confidentially.