Announcing the Launch of the Life Sciences Workforce Collaborative — and a Preview of What’s Ahead

This week marks an important milestone for workforce development in the U.S. life sciences sector: the official launch of the Life Sciences Workforce Collaborative (LSWC). Formerly known as the Coalition of State Bioscience Institutes (CSBI), LSWC premiered at the 2025 BIO International Convention as a new national nonprofit—building on over a decade of state and regional leadership to expand industry-aligned solutions for talent development.

 

As the life sciences industry confronts evolving technologies, shifting economic headwinds, and persistent workforce challenges - including specialized talent needs, unmet demand for skilled biomanufacturers, positioning for future growth —LSWC offers a unified platform to scale solutions, support workforce readiness, and strengthen public-private partnerships across the country.

 

Just out of the gate, the new organization is pleased to announce a major insight-driven release later this month: the upcoming 2025 National Life Sciences Workforce Trends

 

Report, produced in partnership with TEConomy Partners and the NSF-funded InnovATEBIO National Biotech Education Center. Comprised of data from over 700 life science companies and 2.9 million job postings, the report will go live on June 24, 2025.

 

Why This Matters

The newly launched LSWC builds on more than a decade of trusted collaboration among 50+ state, regional and national life science organizations and workforce partners. Its mission: to align, advise, and accelerate talent development efforts across the entire life sciences talent pipeline—from middle school to mid-career--to build a competitive life sciences workforce.

Next week, the LSWC will launch the 2025 National Workforce Trends Report, the organization’s flagship effort. Now in its seventh edition, this biennial report draws on:

  • Responses from over 500 companies across 30 states and Puerto Rico
  • Interviews with over 200 life science executives
  • Analysis of 2.9 million unique job postings across the U.S. from the last four years

The report is the definitive source for understanding the real-world trends shaping hiring, upskilling, and STEM education engagement across the life sciences ecosystem. More to come next week.

 

What Comes Next

In the weeks ahead, we’ll be working with our partners to roll out media toolkits, schedule events, and activate coordinated campaigns to bring visibility to both the LSWC launch and the report.

 

We are deeply grateful to our investor-level supporters—AZBio/AZ Advances, BioNJ, BioUtah, California Life Sciences, Georgia Life Sciences/Institute, Colorado Bioscience Association/Institute, MichBio, NewYorkBIO/Institute, Ohio Life Sciences, Oregon Bioscience Association, SCbio, and Southern California Biomedical Council (SoCalBio)—LSWC partners and connectors, and to every organization that has shaped this initiative from the ground up.


Together, we are building a stronger, competitive, and future-ready workforce—one that ensures the U.S. remains the global leader in biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and life sciences innovation.

 

Stay tuned and learn how you can partner with us to advance the life sciences workforce.


Learn more at: www.LifeSciencesWorkforce.org
For media inquiries: connect@lifesciencesworkforce.org

May 22, 2026
ALPHARETTA, Ga., May 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Micron Biomedical today announced the grand opening of its world-class manufacturing facility spanning more than 26,000 square feet in Alpharetta, Georgia. The opening marks the most advanced commercial-scale manufacturing site for Micron’s dissolvable vaccine and therapeutic technology in the world and positions the company for pivotal clinical trials that will accelerate the availability of needle-free vaccines and therapeutics that can be self-administered at home. “A significant body of evidence has shown that our dissolvable microarray technology is as effective as — or more effective than — conventionally injected medicines. Parents, patients, government officials, drug developers, public health leaders, and payers also prefer needle-free vaccines and therapeutics that are simpler and more cost-effective to transport and store,” said Steven Damon, CEO of Micron Biomedical . “Our novel technology requires equally innovative manufacturing equipment capable of scaling production, and this facility brings us one step closer to making that vision a reality.” Micron’s technology uses a dissolvable microarray “button” that is applied directly to the skin and, when pressed, painlessly delivers medications that dissolve in the uppermost layers of skin. The facility houses all of the equipment and manufacturing capabilities to design and produce Micron’s technology at scale including R&D facilities, wet labs, dry labs, storage and professional office spaces. Micron Biomedical’s grand opening ceremony was attended by business leaders, elected officials, investors, members of academia and other stakeholders. Representatives from the CDC were also in attendance as recently the CDC launched its first-ever clinical trial of a needle-free vaccine, evaluating a novel rotavirus vaccine, CC24, delivered via Micron Biomedical’s dissolvable microarray technology. The trial, at Emory University, builds on research, published in The Lancet, about self-administered seasonal influenza vaccine via Micron Biomedical’s dissolvable microarray technology, as well as studies across other disease indications, including measles and rubella . “Georgia is emerging as one of the country’s most important biotech manufacturing hubs, attracting talented scientists, engineers, business leaders and creating exciting economic and professional opportunities for our residents,” said Todd Jones, Georgia House Representative . “With its award winning first-in-the industry technology, Micron Biomedical is among the state’s leaders in simultaneously transforming the health of people around the world with never-before-possible access to medicine and vaccines - and in investing in the workforce of tomorrow with high paying jobs and growth opportunities." This year, published research reinforced consumer preference for microarray technology and Micron Biomedical was recognized as the number two most innovative company in its class by Fast Company for addressing global demand for simplified administration and distribution of vaccines and drugs. The scientific community support includes recent commentary in The Lancet which called Micron’s technology “game-changing in humanitarian settings.” Micron’s technology class has also been identified as the highest global priority innovation for overcoming immunization barriers in low- and middle-income countries by the Vaccine Innovation Prioritisation Strategy (VIPS) Alliance. “This milestone reflects the type of coordinated ecosystem growth outlined in Georgia Life Sciences’ recently released Roadmap for Georgia’s Life Sciences Sector — bringing together industry, startups, manufacturers, educators, investors, and policymakers to strengthen the state’s innovation and manufacturing capabilities,” said Maria Thacker Goethe, President and CEO of Georgia Life Sciences , who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony. “With this cutting-edge facility, Micron is helping advance Georgia’s position as a national leader in biotechnology, medical technology, and life sciences innovation while reinforcing the state’s role as a scale-up manufacturing hub for the Southeast.” “Ribbon cuttings are always special and momentous events, but this one is especially satisfying because it points to an infrastructure for pivotal clinical trials of technologies being studied at Emory that have the potential to save lives and reduce disease burden by expanding coverage and access to critical medications,” said Christina Rostad MD, pediatric infectious disease associate professor at Emory University and lead investigator of the CD244 trial who provided commentary remotely. “Our team at Emory University is excited to be a part of the celebration and look forward to continuing to explore the potential of Micron Biomedical’s dissolvable microarray vaccine technology.“ About Micron Biomedical Micron Biomedical is the leader in dissolvable microarray-based, drug and vaccine administration technology with a growing pipeline of needle-free versions of previously injectable-only medicines. Micron Biomedical is a clinical-stage life science company on a rapid path to commercializing its proprietary dissolvable, microarray technology. Micron’s technology is designed to improve access and achieve better health outcomes globally through injection-free, painless, and simple and/or self-administration of drugs and vaccines, and by eliminating or reducing the need for cold chain transport and storage, enhancing safety and efficacy, and improving patient compliance. Micron partners with and/or receives funding from private and public entities including pharmaceutical and biotech companies, the Gates Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), PATH and the Georgia Research Alliance. For more information visit www.micronbiomedical.com . Press Contact Shira Derasmo M: +1-917-280-2497 E: pr@micronbiomedical.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/31153de2-caed-4aa2-b291-ebeed2652b70 A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d855a883-fb26-47ce-9831-8ef1e0b93f43 
May 13, 2026
Georgia Life Sciences thanks Dr. Marty Makary for his service as Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during a period of significant change across the nation’s health and regulatory agencies.
May 12, 2026
Georgia Life Sciences is pleased to announce Tim Opler as a featured keynote speaker at the 2026 Georgia Life Sciences Summit, taking place August 25-26 at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center in Atlanta. A leading voice in biotech investment banking, Tim Opler serves as Managing Director in Stifel’s Global Healthcare Group, where he advises innovative life sciences companies on financing, growth strategy, and market positioning across the healthcare landscape. Tim brings deep insight into the evolving biotech investment environment, emerging industry trends, and the factors shaping the future of life sciences innovation and commercialization. Join us for this timely discussion with one of the industry’s most respected financial leaders as we explore the opportunities and challenges defining the next era of life sciences growth . 
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