AIxBio Driving Discovery and Manufacturing Boom in Pittsburgh

The Steel City is reinvigorating its industrial might with biomanufacturing and AI-accelerated biotech innovation.

19, February 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania –Today, the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) traveled to Pittsburgh for a second Pennsylvania stop in the Biotech Across America Roadshow. Commissioner Dov Zakheim visited Pittsburgh’s automated, artificial intelligence-powered (AI) cloud lab, toured a newly constructed biomanufacturing facility, and met with leading local innovators who are making Pittsburgh a rapidly growing hub for the biotech sector.

“Biomanufacturing is rebuilding America’s industrial base,” said NSCEB Commissioner Dov Zakheim. “We must ensure that we build upon the biomanufacturing foundation that has been laid so that we can remain the world’s leader in this field. Pittsburgh has all the right tools to leverage biotechnology to strengthen U.S. supply chains, create skilled manufacturing jobs, boost U.S. economic competitiveness, and help maintain our world leadership. This is economic resilience in action and is critical for our national security.”

“We are proud to welcome the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology to Pittsburgh,” said Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Deputy Secretary of Technology and Entrepreneurship Jen Gilburg. “Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, we have worked collaboratively to secure historic new investments in the life science and biotech industries. Pennsylvania’s universities are driving cutting-edge breakthroughs across biotechnology, AI, and advanced manufacturing. Through strong partnerships between academia, industry, and government, the Commonwealth is translating research excellence into economic growth, national security strength, and real-world impact — positioning Pennsylvania as a national leader in emerging biotechnology.”

“The top inventors, investors, and futurists of our era are predicting the intersection of biology and technology will shape the 21st century,” said Megan Shaw, CEO and President of the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Alliance. “That intersection is embodied in Pittsburgh, where cutting edge clinical research and emerging technologies are converging to change the future of human health innovation.”

“Four decades into Pittsburgh’s historic transformation from a steel-making capital to a biotech capital, we’re excited to showcase our tremendous progress, anchored by world-leading universities in health sciences and AI and a committed ecosystem of health care, philanthropic, government, industry and private-sector leaders,” said Anantha Shekhar, Senior Vice Chancellor for the Health Sciences and John and Getrude Petersen Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. “We’re primed now more than ever to help grow our nation’s collective contributions to biotechnology prominence.”

“Carnegie Mellon’s strengths in AI, robotics, advanced manufacturing and computational biology have helped catalyze the growth of Pittsburgh’s biotech sector, positioning it as a hub where innovation moves from lab to scalable production,” said Theresa Mayer, Carnegie Mellon University Vice President for Research. “As biotechnology and advanced manufacturing converge, this region is demonstrating how research-led innovation can strengthen U.S. economic resilience and national security.”

Event details:

The visit to Pittsburgh opened with a big picture discussion of U.S. biotech policy, the NSCEB’s recommendations and how Pittsburgh’s local industry is evolving. Commissioner Zakheim then toured Carnegie Mellon University’s (CMU) Biological and Chemical Innovation Lab (BCIL) at the AI Science Foundry. The tour included a sneak peek at CMU’s autonomous cloud laboratory where AI, robotics, and automation come together to unlock new discoveries at an unprecedented rate. In its April 2025 report, the NSCEB recommended the creation of a national network of cloud labs, like the one at CMU, to fully leverage the power of AI and biology and to facilitate creation of high-quality data suitable for future scientific advancement.

Commissioner Zakheim then led a roundtable discussion with Pittsburgh biotech business leaders on how their companies meet challenges and explored how federal policy can help further mobilize the growing sector.

At BioForge, a state-of-the art biomanufacturing center built by the University of Pittsburgh and ElevateBio at a former steel plant, the NSCEB saw how the city’s historic industrial infrastructure is gaining new life with investment in advanced technology. The 185,000 square foot facility is expected to create nearly 200 new biomanufacturing jobs. As the NSCEB reported, biomanufacturing has the potential to revitalize the nation’s manufacturing sector, strengthening local economies, and creating good jobs in all parts of the country.

To close the day, Commissioner Zakheim joined a presentation of Pittsburgh’s key strengths as a regional innovation hub not only for biotechnology, but for space, AI, supercomputing, and more. Presenters from the University of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, and Carnegie Mellon University shared ongoing projects and future plans for innovation across tech and science.

Event participants included:

Avista Therapeutics
Bayer
BioForge
Carnegie Mellon University
City of Pittsburgh
ElevateBIO
Highmark Health
Hillman Family Foundations
Office of U.S. Congressman Chris Deluzio
Office of U.S. Congressman Guy Reschenthaler
Office of U.S. Congressman Mike Kelly
Office of U.S. Senator David McCormick
Office of U.S. Senator John Fetterman
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
Peptilogics
Philips
Pittsburgh Life Sciences Alliance
Regional Growth Strategies
Richard King Mellon Foundation
Trivedi Institute for Space and Global Biomedicine
University of Pittsburgh
UPMC Enterprises
Zoll Cardiac Management Solutions

Biotech Across America Roadshow: The Commission is hitting the road to highlight biotechnology across America, including the companies, academic institutions, workforce development programs, and policy initiatives that are driving the future for this rapidly growing industry. Commissioners will continue learning about the work being done across this vibrant ecosystem while engaging on the key findings and recommendations from the Commission’s recent report to Congress.

About NSCEB: The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology is a time-limited, high-impact legislative branch advisory entity whose purpose is to advance and secure biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and associated technologies for U.S. national security and to prepare the United States for the bioindustrial revolution. The Commission published a comprehensive report in April 2025, including recommendations for action by Congress and the federal government. The bipartisan Commission is composed of Congressionally-appointed Commissioners with members from both the Senate and the House of Representatives as well as experts from industry, academia, and government. For more information about the Commission and to view the report, visit: biotech.senate.gov.

Contacts:

NSCEB: press@biotech.senate.gov