Hughes Pittman & Gupton, LLP (www.hpg.com), one of the largest CPA firms headquartered and staffed in the Research Triangle Park region of North Carolina, announces today that partner Tim Gupton is co-chairing the 2011 SEBIO Investor Forum with Larry Robbins of Wyrick Robbins and Rosina Pavia of Pappas Ventures. The 13th annual event will be held November 2-3, 2011 at the Washington Duke Inn in Durham, N.C.

Applications to present at SEBIO 2011 are being accepted until July 1. Information regarding the application process is available at http://atp.sebio.org/sebio-atp/2011.

“The SEBIO Forum is an excellent platform for industry executives, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, university representatives and investors to discuss emerging life science trends,” says Gupton. “Many great partnerships have been forged during the forum since its inception in 1999.”

Gupton also notes that early-stage developing companies have unique opportunities at the 2011 SEBIO Forum. Each company selected to present has the option of participating in a 30-minute, web-based virtual presentation and consultation session with a panel of advisors two - four weeks before the event. At the SEBIO Forum, the companies will meet with a specifically matched advisory panel during an interactive, hour-long session. Company representatives will present their opportunity, including their “elevator pitch,” 10-12 minute PowerPoint presentation and business plan.

Recognized as one of the Southeast’s top life science venture capital conferences, the SEBIO Investor Forum will highlight the notion that data drives grants, corporate partnerships, investments and exits. Keynote speakers include:

• Dr. Fred Eschelman, founder and executive chairman of PPD Inc.

• Jim Mullen, CEO of Pantheon Inc.

The Investor Forum features an online partnering system to help conference attendees arrange meetings with one another, and offers investors the opportunity to hear from senior executives of major biopharmaceutical and medical device companies who are invited to present their strategic partnering goals. Additional event information is available at www.sebio.org/investorforum/2011.

About Hughes Pittman & Gupton, LLP (HPG):

HPG is one of the largest CPA firms headquartered and staffed in the Research Triangle Park region of North Carolina, as ranked by the Triangle Business Journal. More than just an accounting firm, HPG assists clients in looking beyond the bottom linesm by being the right people, right value and right firm to achieve each client's definition of success. HPG is a member of CPAmerica International and affiliated with the Crowe Horwath International alliances of firms, with offices worldwide. The firm leverages this to provide national and global accounting resources to its clients. HPG offers a wide array of business accounting, auditing, corporate tax and management advisory services. Specialties include serving owner-managed, investor-backed technology and life science organizations, healthcare services, real estate development, manufacturing and distribution businesses, as well as providing ERISA audits, family wealthcare services and Sarbanes-Oxley internal audit services.

HPG has remained committed to advancing a thriving Triangle community since its founding in 1983. In recognition, the firm is the recipient of two Pinnacle Business Awards by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce; the 2009 Large Entrepreneurial Business Award and the 2010 Integrity in Business Award. Additionally, HPG has been certified Green Plus by the Institute for Sustainable Development for integrating environmental sustainability efforts into company culture, and has been named one of the top 100 Best Accounting Firms to Work For in the country by Accounting Today. Visit www.hpg.com or follow HPG on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HPGcpas.

About SEBIO Investor Forum:

The Southeast BIO Investor Forum is the Southeast region's premier life sciences venture capital conference, connecting emerging life science companies with potential investors in a forum that provides meaningful networking opportunities. Attracting more than 400 attendees, including investors from the Southeast and around the world, SEBIO showcases more than 30 emerging life sciences companies from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and beyond, each year. Since 1999, there have been over 180 presenting companies, over 130 companies participating in the EARLY/Stage program and close to 40 competing in the BIO/Plan Competition. SEBIO participants have gone on to raise over $2.5 billion in public and private funding. Visit www.sebio.org/investorforum/2011 for more information.