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U.S. Biotech Leaders Meet in Washington for Biotech Across America State Symposium

U.S. BIOTECH LEADERS MEET IN WASHINGTON FOR BIOTECH ACROSS AMERICA STATE SYMPOSIUM    

Biotechnology is increasingly important for U.S. national security and economic resilience. Biotech leaders from around the country joined NSCEB to chart state and local strategies for strengthening the future of U.S. biotech.  

25, March 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, D.C. –Today, the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) gathered over 100 state and local officials, biotech industry leaders, and leading members of academia who are shaping biotechnology ecosystems across the country for the Biotech Across America State Symposium.  

This event builds on the NSCEB’s Biotech Across America Roadshow, fostering collaboration and connecting regional biotech hubs from around the country in a forum to compare approaches, identify shared challenges, and highlight strategies that can be adapted or scaled across different regions to a build stronger national biotechnology ecosystem. 

The Engineering Biotechnology Research Consortium (EBRC) and the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) co-hosted the event, held at the FAS offices in Washington, D.C. 

“Since launching our report in April 2025, the NSCEB has been on the Biotech Across America Roadshow, traveling around the country highlighting the people and places that are driving the growth of the American biotech industry,” said NSCEB Vice Chair Michelle Rozo. “Today’s State Symposium is an opportunity to invite biotech leaders from all 50 states to come together to share their experiences and learn from each other’s creativity and expertise. As we urgently work to implement forward-looking biotech policy in Washington, we are grateful to have partners across the country who are dedicated to ensuring the U.S. succeeds as the global biotech leader.” 

“The future of U.S. biotechnology will be shaped not just in Washington, but in states and regions across the country,” said India Hook-Barnard, CEO of EBRC. “This symposium highlighted the critical role that they play in building talent, advancing innovation, and ensuring the United States remains globally competitive.” 

“It is important to remember that federal priorities are not synonymous with national priorities. The work of building a vibrant bioeconomy does not begin and end with a single administration. Authority and influence exist at multiple levels — in states and municipalities, in research norms, and in civil society,” says Dr. Jedidah Isler, Chief Science Officer, Federation of American Scientists 

Event details:

Speakers and panelists focused on three cross-cutting areas that consistently shape state and local biotechnology success: the biotech talent pipeline, biotech product commercialization, and efforts to increase bioliteracy in both the public and among policymakers. Presentation of successful case studies accompanied panel discussions for each topic. 

In the opening session, panelists discussed talent pipeline development initiatives ranging from K-12 educational outreach, high education programs, and broader workforce training efforts. Case studies presented: 

In the second session, panelists presented case studies on commercializing biotech products, from innovation, early investment and capital needs to the infrastructure and manufacturing requirements that bring products to market. Case studies presented:  

The third panel presentation focused on bioliteracy efforts, or efforts to increase overall awareness of and ability to engage with biotechnology in the everyday world around us. Case studies presented: 

Following the panel and case study sessions, participants joined small group breakout sessions for deeper discussion on topics within the three key ideas guiding the State Symposium. First, for the talent pipeline breakouts, groups explored K-12 Education, Reskilling & Upskilling, and Pipeline Initiatives across state ecosystems. The second session of breakouts under commercialization discussed Access to Capital, Infrastructure, Scale-Up, and Manufacturing. Lastly, bioliteracy breakouts covered Community Labs, State Bioliteracy Initiatives, and State Level Caucuses or Working Groups Among Elected Officials. 

For more information about what’s happening in biotechnology around the country, read the State Symposium Resource Guide here: LINK 

Event participants included:

  • Afterschool Alliance 
  • Allen Institute 
  • ARI/Heartland Bioworks 
  • ARMI | BioFabUSA 
  • Austin Community College 
  • Bay Area Bioscience Education Community (BABEC) 
  • BEAM Circular 
  • Bio Nebraska 
  • BioBuilder Educational Foundation 
  • Biocom 
  • BioConnect DE 
  • Biodesign Challenge 
  • BioMADE 
  • Bioscience Core Skills Institute 
  • Bioscience Workforce Development Hub 
  • BioTC 
  • Biotechnology Innovation Organization 
  • Biotility 
  • BioUtah 
  • Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory 
  • East Tennessee State University 
  • Ecovative 
  • Empire State Development 
  • Flinn Foundation 
  • Genspace 
  • Georgetown University 
  • Georgia Life Sciences 
  • Great Lakes SynBio Association 
  • Greater Houston Partnership 
  • Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) 
  • Heartland Bioworks 
  • HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology 
  • Illinois Fermentation and Agricultural Biotechnology (iFAB) Tech Hub 
  • KC BioHub 
  • Life Science Oklahoma 
  • Life Sciences PA 
  • Loyola University Maryland 
  • Manus 
  • Maryland Department of Commerce 
  • Maryland Department of Labor 
  • Metropolitan Community College 
  • MichBio 
  • Mount Marty University 
  • National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 
  • National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) 
  • NC State University 
  • NCBiotech 
  • Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development 
  • New Jersey Department of Labor 
  • NewYorkBIO 
  • Niswonger Foundation 
  • North Carolina Life Sciences 
  • Northeastern University 
  • Northwestern University
  • Novonesis 
  • NSF AgTech Engine in North Dakota 
  • OKC Chamber of Commerce 
  • Oklahoma City Innovation District 
  • Oklahoma Department of Commerce 
  • Oregon Life Sciences/Life Sciences Workforce Collaborative 
  • Pittsburgh Life Science Alliance 
  • Pivot Bio 
  • Rhode Island Life Science Hub 
  • Rice University 
  • Roebling 
  • San Jacinto College 
  • SCBio 
  • Solano College 
  • South Dakota Biotech/BioRise 
  • Southeast Community College 
  • State of Oklahoma 
  • Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station 
  • Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute 
  • University of Delaware 
  • University of Maryland, College Park 
  • University of Minnesota 
  • University of Nebraska, Lincoln 
  • University of Nevada, Reno 
  • University of Washington Bothell 
  • Utah STEM Action Center 
  • Virginia Bio 
  • Washington Research Foundation 
  • West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine 
  • Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub 
  • Xcell Biosciences 

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. 

About EBRC: The Engineering Biology Research Consortium is a nonprofit, public–private partnership dedicated to advancing engineering biology to address national and global needs. EBRC works across research, policy, and ecosystem engagement to strengthen the conditions needed for biotechnology innovation and translation. 

About FAS: The Federation of American Scientists is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to ensure that science and technology serve the public interest. FAS advances evidence-based policy solutions across a range of national security, emerging technology, and public purpose innovation issues. 

Contacts:

NSCEB: press@biotech.senate.gov