Rhode Island Investing in Cross-Cutting Biotech Benefitting Future National and Economic Security
With emphasis on integration across scientific fields, the Ocean State is a leading biotech hub solving the most complex challenges and strengthening U.S. national security and economic resilience
24, August 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Providence, Rhode Island –
On August 21, the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) traveled to Rhode Island for the latest stop on the Biotech Across America Roadshow. Commissioners Paul Arcangeli and Dov Zakheim joined U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Representative Gabe Amo (D-RI-1) to explore how the Ocean State is leveraging its innovative spirit and academic leadership to harness biotechnology in support of U.S. national and economic security.
In its April 2025 Action Plan for strengthening U.S. biotechnology, the NSCEB recommends investing in innovative biotech solutions that address major challenges spanning multiple industries and building a biotech workforce that is ready to drive growth and discovery. Rhode Island’s biotech leaders are bringing this vision to life and cultivating a full-circle ecosystem that is prepared to tackle future challenges.
Commissioners highlighted Senator Reed’s leadership in advancing biotechnology for our national defense and his efforts to secure 17 biotech-related provisions in the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act with several more pending in this year’s bill.
“America’s biotechnology strength isn’t concentrated in one place, it’s built in communities across the country,” said NSCEB Commissioner Paul Arcangeli. “Integrated biotech hubs like here in Rhode Island cut across traditional industry silos to turn great ideas into real world solutions. Building these ecosystems strengthens our ability to bring new critical technologies to life in the U.S. and makes our economy and national security more resilient.”
“Rhode Island’s world-class colleges and universities are training our future biotechnology workforce and building the talent pipeline that will power American biomanufacturing,” said NSCEB Commissioner Dov Zakheim. “Our ability to manufacture biotech products at scale here in the United States will ensure that we can compete globally and lead the biotechnology economy of the future. Institutions like Brown University and the University of Rhode Island are training a future biotech workforce that is ready to turn discovery into capability.”
“I’m thrilled to help bring the Biotech Across America Roadshow to Rhode Island. This was a fantastic event that brought together top biotech minds in government, business, and academia for multiple symposiums on advancements and opportunities driving the U.S. biotech economy and national security. Rhode Island has invested in growing a strong, diverse biotech ecosystem with cutting-edge companies, researchers, and assets like the Rhode Island Life Science Hub, which serves as a catalyst for innovation. Today was a chance to strengthen public-private partnerships that can unlock future economic potential, unleash new technologies and life-saving medical breakthroughs that improve human health and national security, and create good-paying biotech jobs here at home,” said U.S. Senator Reed a member of both SASC and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, who helped established the NSCEB.
“It was an enormous privilege to welcome leadership from the NSCEB and to share a bit about our life sciences ecosystem,” said Dr. Mukesh K. Jain, senior associate provost for life sciences, senior vice president for health affairs and dean of medicine and biological sciences at Brown University. “Working with our academic institutions, health systems, local industry and government, Brown is leading efforts of national and global significance by building an integrated model that takes basic science from discovery all the way to impact on patients. And we’re ready to work with the federal government to take that model to scale.”
“As the state’s flagship public research university, the University of Rhode Island is conducting translational research, while educating and training the next generation biotech workforce,” said Brenton DeBoef, Ph.D., URI interim vice president of research and economic development. “Consistent with our land-grant and sea-grant mission, URI’s biotech research is having significant impact locally and beyond – whether it’s supporting local oyster farmers safeguard against disease or discovering innovative ways to treat complex human diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.”
“Rhode Island’s biotechnology sector is creating jobs and boosting our economy,” said Congressman Amo (D-RI-1). “I appreciated the opportunity to meet with the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology to discuss how we can continue the government’s essential role in expanding education and workforce development opportunities and strengthen industry partnerships to shape future medical breakthroughs and enhance national security.”
Event Details:
In Providence, Commissioners Arcangeli and Zakheim and Senator Reed visited Brown University for an overview of the state’s growing biotech ecosystem and presentations on specific research initiatives around the Human RNome Project and the Division of Biology and Medicine’s programs focused on longevity and healthy aging.
The Human RNome Project is an effort to sequence the complete landscape of human RNA biology. Brown professor Vivian Cheung is helping coordinate a U.S.-led global effort to build the technologies, standards, and computing infrastructure needed to advance this next frontier in medicine, biotechnology, AI, and biosecurity.
Brown is also tackling the intersection of neuroscience, biology, and technology. These crosscutting fields hold great promise in overcoming some of the most daunting health challenges of today. Biotech leaders described some of the breakthrough medical devices that are currently in human clinical trials.
The Commissioners also had the opportunity to view the city’s burgeoning life sciences research cluster, including the under-construction Danoff Laboratories, where integrated lab facilities will enable the cross-pollination of different scientific fields.
The group then travelled to the University of Rhode Island at Kingston, to the Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences. Commissioner Arcangeli first received an overview of the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory (PBL) that specializes in plant transformation, genome editing, and tissue culture across multiple species, with an emphasis on agriculturally significant crops and learned how that work is impacting Rhode Island’s agriculture sector.
To end the end of the day, Commissioner Arcangeli visited two laboratories at the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy. The first was Alker Lab, focused on developing new genetic engineering and synthetic biology tools for addressing challenges in marine industries. They also visited the RI-INBRE Centralized Research Core Facility (CRCF). This facility is the only one of its kind in the state and is providing researchers access to advanced analytical and imaging instruments.
Participants included:
- United States Senator Jack Reed
- United States Representative Gabe Amo
- Brown University
- Cognito Therapeutics
- Joint Genome Institute
- Lyora Therapeutics
- Nabsys
- Office of United States Representative Seth Magaziner
- Office of United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
- Organogenesis
- Rhode Island Foundation
- Rhode Island Life Sciences Hub
- University of Rhode Island
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
