Archives

June 30, 2025

BIOTech Caucus Will Advance Domestic Bioeconomy and Competitive Posture

On June 26, 2025, Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Stephanie Bice (R-OK) announced the formation of the BIOTech Caucus. According to Houlahan’s June 26, 2025, press release, the Caucus’ mission “is to advance bipartisan policy solutions to keep the United States at the forefront of global biotechnology leadership, to engage and learn from sector leaders, and to build awareness and bioliteracy among Members of Congress.” Joining Co-Chairs Houlahan and Bice on the BIOTech Caucus...
June 26, 2025

NASEM Will Hold Workshop on Synthetic Biology for Biomanufacturing and Predictable Engineering on July 1, 2025

On July 1, 2025, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) will hold a workshop session on transformative science and technology for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), “Synthetic Biology for Biomanufacturing and Predictable Engineering.” NASEM states that “[a]dvances in biotechnology and biomanufacturing are essential for the United States to maintain global leadership as well as for supporting economic and national security interests.” The workshop session...
March 20, 2025

President Trump Revokes 2022 EO on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing

On March 14, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order (EO) 14236, rescinding 19 executive actions, including former President Biden’s September 2022 EO 14081, “Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy.” 90 Fed. Reg. 13037. According to the White House’s March 14, 2025, fact sheet, EO 14081 “funneled Federal resources into radical biotech and biomanufacturing initiatives under the guise of environmental...
January 31, 2025

EC Launches Biotech and Biomanufacturing Hub to Support Innovative Companies

The European Commission (EC) announced on January 29, 2025, that it launched a Biotech and Biomanufacturing Hub to support companies -- particularly start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) -- in bringing innovative products to the European Union (EU) market and increase their competitiveness. According to the EC, the Hub will also help companies identify available support at the EU level and how to access this support to help them expand and grow. The EC states that the Biotech...
November 20, 2024

Biomanufacturing Interagency Working Group Identifies Actions to Increase U.S. Biomanufacturing Capacity

On November 15, 2024, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released a report by the Biomanufacturing Interagency Working Group entitled “Building a Vibrant Domestic Biomanufacturing Ecosystem.” The Working Group includes representatives from the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of State, the...
July 30, 2024

2024 Agile BioFoundry Industry Day Will Be Held September 12, 2024

The Agile BioFoundry’s (ABF) 2024 Industry Day will be held virtually on September 12, 2024. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), ABF aims to develop biomanufacturing tools, processes, and partnerships that enable sustainable industrial production of renewable fuels and chemicals. Attendees will: Learn about ABF’s strategy to support U.S. biomanufacturing and current industry needs; Discover ABF’s biomanufacturing tools; Hear more about...
March 28, 2024

EC Publishes Communication on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing, Announces Targeted Actions

The European Commission (EC) announced on March 20, 2024, that it has proposed a series of targeted actions to boost biotechnology and biomanufacturing in the European Union (EU). The EC states that its March 20, 2024, Communication on Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU “identifies the challenges and barriers and proposes to tackle them, in line with the Communication on the long-term competitiveness of the EU.” According to the EC, the EU...
March 26, 2024

White House Launches National Bioeconomy Board

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced on March 22, 2024, the launch of the National Bioeconomy Board, co-chaired by OSTP, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Department of Defense. The Board also includes representatives from nine additional federal departments and agencies: the U.S. Department of State, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Aeronautics...
March 1, 2024

European Industries Call for “Bold and Impactful” Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative

EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, announced on February 21, 2024, the release of a position paper calling for “bold ambition, and five core principles to ensure impactful industrial growth.” According to the position paper, “EC Initiative on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing: Principles for an impactful Europe,” the European Commission’s (EC) forthcoming Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative “is a unique opportunity for the [European Union (EU)] to build...
February 1, 2024

EuropaBio Publishes Biomanufacturing Global Series Reports on the United States, India, and Japan

EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, has begun publishing a Biomanufacturing Global Series. To date, EuropaBio has published the following one-page summaries, providing information on a country’s policies, targets, and investments: US in Focus: According to EuropaBio, the United States has a comprehensive approach, targeting challenges such as climate change or national security, and sectors, including chemical, agriculture, and health. EuropaBio states that the Biden...
August 1, 2023

BETO Will Host Bioenergy Cybersecurity Workshop on September 11, 2023

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton   The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced on July 17, 2023, that it will host a Bioenergy Cybersecurity Workshop, a virtual event organized by Sandia National Laboratories on September 11, 2023, to identify cybersecurity risks in biofuel and bioproduct manufacturing, and develop an approach to address these risks. According to BETO, the workshop will raise awareness of the importance of cybersecurity in...
July 6, 2023

EuropaBio Offers Recommendations on Biomanufacturing

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton   On June 30, 2023, EuropaBio announced that it “set[] in stone the first European recommendations on biomanufacturing with the publication of its Biomanufacturing Policy Summit 2023 report.” On March 15, 2023, EuropaBio hosted its inaugural Biomanufacturing Policy Summit in Brussels, “marking the first major milestone from its newly established Biomanufacturing Platform.” The Summit captured priorities of 80 industry leaders,...
July 3, 2023

OSTP Announces New Action Plan to Bolster, Expand, and Diversify the Biotechnology and Biomanufactur

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton   On June 27, 2023, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced the release of a new action plan intended to “rapidly and equitably expand biotechnology and biomanufacturing education and job training programs in the United States.” According to OSTP, biomanufacturing “is a critical aspect of advanced manufacturing that can drive new, sustainable alternatives across industries” and “can unlock new...
May 1, 2023

OMB Seeks Input on Bioeconomy-Related Industries and Products

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton   The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published a request for information (RFI) on April 27, 2023, seeking public input on existing or potential bioeconomy-related industries and products that are established, emerging, or currently embedded in existing industry/manufacturing processes. 88 Fed. Reg. 25711. As reported in our September 13, 2022, blog item, on September 12, 2022, President Joseph Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) creating a...
April 5, 2023

DOD Publishes Biomanufacturing Strategy and RFI on Biomanufactured Products and Process Capabilities

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton   As part of the National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) announced in September 2022 an investment of $1.2 billion in bioindustrial domestic manufacturing infrastructure to catalyze the establishment of a domestic bioindustrial manufacturing base accessible to U.S. innovators. As reported in our March 30, 2023, blog item, on March 22, 2023, DOD released its Biomanufacturing Strategy to guide these...
April 3, 2023

White House OSTP Outlines Goals for U.S. Biotechnology and Manufacturing

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton As reported in our March 30, 2023, blog item, on March 22, 2023, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released a new report, Bold Goals for U.S. Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing: Harnessing Research and Development to Further Societal Goals. The report includes five sections, each presenting goals that highlight what could be possible with the power of biology. The goals set ambitious national targets for the next two decades to...
March 30, 2023

Biden Administration Announces New Goals and Priorities to Advance Biotechnology and Biomanufacturin

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton   As reported in our September 13, 2022, blog item, President Joseph Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on September 12, 2022, creating a National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative “that will ensure we can make in the United States all that we invent in the United States.” On March 22, 2023, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) published a fact sheet announcing “new bold goals and priorities...
March 21, 2023

National Academies Publishes Proceedings of Workshop on Successes and Challenges in Biomanufacturing

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton   That National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) hosted an October 2022 workshop on successes and challenges in biomanufacturing. The workshop brought together biomanufacturing stakeholders across industry, academia, and government with expertise across diverse fields, including United States-based and international speakers. According to NASEM, discussions spanned the breadth of biomanufacturing contexts and applications,...
February 27, 2023

BETO Announces R&D Collaborations to Address Challenges in Biomanufacturing

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton   The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) recently announced the selection of five external collaborations totaling over $3.7 million to conduct research and development (R&D) needed to accelerate the U.S. biomanufacturing sector. Working with scientists at the Agile BioFoundry (ABF) consortium, these industry and academic groups will leverage national laboratory capabilities to address challenges in...
December 20, 2022

OSTP Publishes RFIs on Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology and National Biotec

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton   As reported in our September 13, 2022, blog item, on September 12, 2022, President Joseph Biden signed an Executive Order creating a National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative (NBBI) to accelerate biotechnology innovation and grow America’s bioeconomy across multiple sectors in industries such as health, agriculture, and energy. On December 20, 2022, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) published two...