Biomanufacturing and National Security top Priority in Virginia

Strong partnerships between world-class academic institutions and industry provide the foundation for Virginia’s thriving biotech economy.

21, November 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Manassas, Virginia – Today, the NSCEB partnered with ATCC, a non-profit biological resources and standards organization, to explore paths to building a resilient national biotech industry.

“Maintaining and strengthening our world-leading biotechnology industry is a national security imperative and a core pillar of U.S. economic resilience,” said NSCEB Commissioner Dawn Meyerriecks. “Virginia’s growing biotech industry is a key component of our nation’s strategic technological and industrial strength and is helping to power our economy, now and in the future.”

“The future of biotechnology depends on trust, innovation, and collaboration,” said ATCC President and CEO Ruth Cheng, PhD. “As the nation’s trusted source for biological resources and standards, ATCC has long served as the bedrock for innovation in biotechnology. This event is a catalyst for bold ideas, building an ecosystem that secures the future of biotechnology and ensures U.S. leadership in biotechnology is in alignment with the NSCEB’s national strategy. At ATCC, we’re securing the future of biotechnology by investing in what matters most: trust, innovation, and people. AI is transforming science, but it’s people who make breakthroughs possible. That’s why we’re building a technology ecosystem and workforce that drive U.S. competitiveness, powered by curated data, authenticated biomaterials, and the next generation of scientists.”

“With more than 60 years of partnership with the Federal Government, ATCC delivers curated, high‑quality biomaterials and data that strengthen biomanufacturing, national security, and public health initiatives,” said Rebecca Bradford, MBA, MS, PMP, Senior Vice President of ATCC Federal Solutions. “We share the NSCEB’s commitment to advancing biotechnology in the United States and welcomed the opportunity to highlight how our trusted science and collaborative approach support national priorities.”

Event details:

The event brought together biotech industry leaders from around the region, Virginia state lawmakers, and national biotech champions for a timely conversation on securing the future of U.S. biotechnology and the critical tools needed to support American competitiveness in this sector.

NSCEB Commissioner Dawn Meyerriecks and Executive Director Caitlin Frazer opened the morning’s event with a fireside chat exploring the NSCEB’s impact since releasing its April 2025 Action Plan for Congress and the legislative road ahead for the Commission’s 49 policy recommendations. They discussed new opportunities to engage with lawmakers, what the NSCEB has learned, and how the Biotech Across America Roadshow is shaping the Commission’s continued work.

Later in the morning, Commissioner Meyerriecks joined an expert panel discussing what the American biotech industry needs to cultivate resilience and make the most of this moment of technology convergence. The other panelists included Dr. Patrick Boyle, Interim CSO of ATCC, Dr. Eric Edwards, CEO of Phlow Corp., Dr. Andrew Magyar, Founder and CSO of Capra Biosciences, and Dr. Nili Ostrov, CSO of Cultivarium.

Event attendees also heard from Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Juan Pablo Segura. Secretary Segura shared insights on how government can act as a catalyst to accelerate industry growth and biotech innovation. United States Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) also delivered video remarks on the critical role of the biotechnology industry in bolstering American national security. The day closed with a tour of ATCC’s biomaterials facility and the site of its future biomanufacturing facility.

Event participants included:

Advanced Research Project Agency for Health
Athari BioSciences
Batelle Memorial Institute
BioBuzz
BioMade
Bio-Trac
Biotechnology Innovation Organization
Brentsville District
Booz Allen Hamilton
CAMRIS WRAIR PBF
Capra Biosciences
CINBIO
Coakley & Williams Construction, LLC.
Commonwealth of Virginia
Compugene
Council on Strategic Risks
Cultivarium
Draper Lab
G2G Consulting
George Mason University
Georgetown University
GO Virginia Region 7
Greater Baltimore Committee
GSS Health
HJF
Howard University
MITRE
MRIGlobal
National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals
National Institutes of Standards and Technology
Northern Virginia Community College
NVCC
Office of U.S. Representative Kiggans
Office of U.S. Senator Tim Kaine
Office of the Undersecretary for Defense for Research & Engineering, Biotechnology
Personalized Medicine Care Dx
Prince William County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
RoosterBio
Scheer Partners
SOAR Bio
The Dufour Collaborative
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
US Pharmacopeia
Velocity Biofund
Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Women in Bio

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