Athens Bioscience Names New Leadership Team to Drive Commercial Growth

June 18, 2026 - Athens Bioscience, Inc., a US manufacturer of native human and animal proteins, today announced a change in leadership. Benjamin Newland, the company’s Executive Chairman, has become Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, effective today. John Mitchell, who has led the company as CEO for five years, will continue as special advisor. Karson Durie rejoins Athens as Chief Operating Officer, effective June 8, 2026. Dee Athwal, a biotechnology executive and antibody engineer, will join the board of directors on July 1, 2026.


Newland becomes chief executive four decades after his father, Dr. Hillary Newland, co-founded the company that became Athens Bioscience in 1986 at the University of Georgia. Newland has served as Chairman and majority shareholder since March 2024 and is relocating from Spain to Athens, Georgia, to take the role.


“For forty years Athens has made native proteins in-house, lot after lot — proteins that researchers and diagnostics labs build their own work on top of,” said Benjamin Newland, Chairman and CEO of Athens Bioscience. “What we want to do now is deepen relationships with our core customers and broaden our distribution.We also intend to develop our custom and contract manufacturing line of business. John was instrumental in building internal systems and processes and now we are ready to scale.”


Mitchell led Athens for five years. As special advisor, he will support the transition and continue to advise on customer and commercial matters. “Athens made great proteins long before I showed up. What it needed was a tighter operation behind them – steadier planning, cleaner production, shipments you can count on,” said John Mitchell. “That’s built now. The next thing is getting Athens in front of more of the world and I look forward to supporting Benjamin as he moves forward with that.”


Durie returns to Athens as Chief Operating Officer, having most recently served as Director of Product Development at Danimer Scientific. She previously served as Lab Director at Athens. She holds a PhD in polymer chemistry and an MBA in finance from the University of Georgia and is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and a registered patent agent.


“I know this facility and the people in it,” said Karson Durie, Chief Operating Officer of Athens Bioscience. “Returning as COO is a chance to scale what already works — consistent lots, tight quality control, reliable supply — as demand grows across diagnostics and cell culture.”


Athwal will join the board on July 1. He trained as a biophysicist and established the antibody engineering group at Celltech, where he is named as an inventor on foundational antibody-engineering patents. He has founded or co-founded five biotechnology companies and held C-level roles across the UK, US, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, including building Complement Therapeutics as CEO and leading the biologics strategy at Kelix Bio through its acquisition by Mubadala. His work in antibodies, immune proteins, and complement biology maps directly to Athens’s largest product lines.


About Athens Bioscience



Athens Bioscience, Inc. (formerly Athens Research & Technology) manufactures native human and animal proteins for research, cell culture media, and in vitro diagnostics. Founded in 1985 at the University of Georgia, the company purifies more than 170 native proteins in-house at its ISO 9001:2015-certified facility in Athens, Georgia. Athens proteins have been cited in more than 2,500 peer-reviewed publications and reach customers across the US, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Athens does not resell or broker. It manufactures.


Media Contact

Christie DeMasi

Athens Bioscience, Inc.
christie@athensbioscience.com

+1.706.546.0207

Georgia Life Sciences Applauds Congressman McCormick for Introducing Federal Biotech Leadership Legislation

July 24, 2026
July 24, 2026, Atlanta, GA - Georgia Life Sciences applauds Congressman Rich McCormick (R-GA) for introducing the Biotechnology Diplomacy Leadership Act , legislation designed to strengthen America's leadership in biotechnology by establishing a senior biotechnology leadership position within the U.S. Department of State. As biotechnology continues to drive breakthroughs in healthcare, agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and national security, the United States must remain a global leader in innovation while strengthening strategic partnerships with allies around the world. The proposed legislation recognizes biotechnology as a critical component of U.S. economic competitiveness and foreign policy and would help ensure that the federal government is well positioned to advance these priorities internationally. The legislation also reflects recommendations from the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology , which called for a more coordinated national approach to advancing biotechnology and protecting U.S. leadership in this strategically important sector. "Georgia is home to one of the nation's fastest-growing life sciences ecosystems, and policies that strengthen America's global biotechnology leadership directly benefit innovators, researchers, manufacturers, and patients," said Maria Thacker Goethe, President & CEO of Georgia Life Sciences. "We appreciate Congressman McCormick's leadership in recognizing biotechnology as both an economic engine and a strategic national priority." Georgia Life Sciences looks forward to working with policymakers at both the federal and state levels to advance policies that foster innovation, strengthen the U.S. bioeconomy, and ensure America remains the global leader in biotechnology.

Georgia Life Sciences Names Renee' Martin, Ph.D., Program Manager to Lead Flagship Educator Workforce Development Program

July 21, 2026
Georgia Life Sciences names Renee Martin, Ph.D., to lead its Teacher Training Initiative, advancing educator workforce development and Georgia's future life sciences talent pipeline.

Georgia Life Sciences Partnership Expands Plant Biotechnology Education for Agriscience Teachers Across Georgia

July 17, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  July 16, 2026 ATLANTA, Ga . – Eighteen Georgia high school agriscience teachers recently participated in a hands-on plant tissue culture training at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens, equipping educators with biotechnology skills and classroom resources that will expand access to experiential STEM learning for students across the state. Hosted through a partnership led by Georgia Life Sciences (GLS), the workshop was facilitated by Julie Throne, Agriscience Teacher, FFA Advisor, and CTAE Department Chair at Cedar Shoals High School. Participants received practical instruction in plant tissue culture techniques using newly developed portable tissue culture kits generously donated by California-based Athena Ag. Plant tissue culture is a foundational biotechnology technique used in agriculture and plant science research to propagate plants under aseptic conditions. By incorporating these concepts into agriscience classrooms, educators can provide students with hands-on experiences that introduce biotechnology while building technical skills relevant to careers in agriculture and biotechnology. As part of the workshop, each participating teacher received two complete plant tissue culture kits to take back to their school, enabling students throughout Georgia to engage in laboratory-based biotechnology activities and explore emerging career pathways in the life sciences. "Providing educators with access to industry-relevant training and classroom resources is one of the most effective ways to inspire the next generation of Georgia's life sciences workforce," said Maria Thacker Goethe, President & CEO of Georgia Life Sciences. "Through partnerships like this, we're helping teachers bring real-world biotechnology into their classrooms while expanding opportunities for students to discover careers in one of Georgia's fastest-growing industries." The training is part of Georgia Life Sciences' broader Teacher Training Initiative, a statewide workforce development program that equips middle and high school educators with the knowledge, tools, and industry connections needed to deliver hands-on biotechnology instruction. Through strategic partnerships with industry, education, and nonprofit organizations, the initiative continues to strengthen Georgia's talent pipeline by connecting classroom learning with real-world workforce opportunities. Georgia Life Sciences extends its appreciation to Julie Throne for leading the training and to Athena for its generous donation of classroom kits, helping expand access to biotechnology education for educators and students across the state.
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