GEORGIA BIO HOSTS 2020 LIFE SCIENCES DAY AT THE STATE CAPITOL

Georgia Bio celebrated the life sciences industry at the Georgia State Capitol February 25, 2020. Georgia Bio’s annual Capitol Day is the chance for members to showcase their innovative products, services, and discoveries at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. The event gives members the chance to meet one-on-one with Georgia’s policymakers. The overall mission of the event is to present to the Georgia General Assembly Georgia Bio’s legislative agenda and vision for life sciences economic growth.

During the day at the Georgia State Capitol, Georgia Bio had over thirty members in attendance focused on discussing with legislatures workforce & talent initiatives, patient access to care, and the creation of a Georgia Rare Disease Advisory Council. Below are a breakdown of the issues and what Georgia Bio supports.

To commend Georgia Bio and recognize February 25, 2020 as the Georgia Life Sciences day at the State Capitol, Governor Brian Kemp declared a Proclamation , Representative Robert Dickey (R – Musella) sponsored House Resolution 1056 and Senator John Wilkinson (R-Toccoa) sponsored Senate Resolution 674. Georgia Bio received special recognition on the Georgia House of Representatives chamber floor and Georgia Senate gallery.

Left to right (Rep. Terry England, Rep. Randy Nix, Phil Gibson, Rep. Robert Dickey, Kristin Boscan, Maria Thacker-Goethe, Speaker of the House Rep. David Ralston)

Presenters at our breakfast reception included:

  • Senator John Wilkinson (R – Toccoa), Chairman Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee
  • Senator Dean Burke (R – Bainbridge), Vice-Chairman Health & Human Services Committee
  • Senator Larry Walker (R – Perry), Member Health & Human Services Committee
  • Representative Robert Dickey (R – Musella), Chairman Appropriations Education Subcommittee
  • Representative Butch Parrish (R – Swainsboro), Chairman Appropriations Health Subcommittee
  • Maria Thacker-Goethe, President & CEO, Georgia Bio
  • Kallarin Mackey, Georgia Bio Policy & Advocacy Committee Chair & Director of State Affairs for Emory University
  • Phil Gibson, Ph.D., Georgia BioEd Chairman & Director, Georgia Bioscience Training Center, Quick Start
  • Andy Freeman, Georgia Government Relations Director, American Cancer Society

Georgia Bio gives a special thank you to Governor Brian Kemp, Rep. Robert Dickey & Senator John Wilkinson for sponsoring resolutions, and all the guest speakers and members for joining us in celebrating and showcasing their support to advance the life sciences industry in Georgia! Thank you to our event sponsors, Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), AdvaMed, and UCB.

Workforce & Talent Initiatives:
The life science industry continues to fuel breakthrough discoveries that are having profound impacts around the globe. The life science sector in Georgia grew by 14.9% over the last decade. This high-paying and innovative sector is rapidly changing and the demand for new technical skills is on the rise, especially in Georgia. The industry routinely reports shortages of employees with the necessary skills.

Many life science careers utilize biological systems to produce commercially important biomaterials and biomolecules for use in agriculture, medicines, food and beverage processing, and industrial applications. Rural Georgia educators need support in life science career recognition, applicable hands-on teaching techniques, and access to supplies and equipment for their students.

Georgia Bio supports the state of Georgia to continue funding the Department of Education to advance Georgia BioEd’s Rural Teacher Training Initiative to strengthen Georgia’s life sciences workforce pipeline through classroom-to-career initiatives that align with industry needs.

Patient Access to Care:
Too many Georgians face barriers to accessing meaningful and timely care. In rural communities, many hospitals are struggling to keep their doors open. And throughout the state, even Georgians with coverage can face difficulties accessing specialty care or prescription drugs.

Georgia Bio supports patient access to innovative therapies and adequate provider networks through private and public insurance, including Medicaid, while enhancing plan transparency and encouraging competition among providers and insurers.

Establish a Georgia Rare Disease Advisory Council:

With over 7,000 known rare diseases, it is incredibly difficult for anyone to have an in-depth understanding of the entire rare community. Consequently, this lack of awareness contributes to some common difficulties that rare disease patients must face every day, such as delays in diagnosis, misdiagnosis, lack of treatment options, high drug costs, and limited access to medical specialists.

Rare Disease Advisory Councils help represent the needs of the entire rare disease community by giving patients, families, caregivers, and other stakeholders an opportunity to make formal recommendations to state leaders about the most important issue they face. Further, the membership of rare councils includes a variety of stakeholders that represent the entire rare community, including patients, caregivers, doctors, insurers, drug manufacturers, and researchers.

Georgia Bio supports the creation of a Georgia Rare Disease Advisory Council to address the needs of the rare disease community.

About Georgia Bio

Georgia Bio (GaBio), founded in 1989, is a non-profit, membership-based organization that promotes the interests and growth of the life sciences industry.  It is the state’s largest and most influential life sciences advocacy and business leadership organization which works to improve access to innovative technologies and grow Georgia’s life sciences economy. Members include companies, universities, research institutions, government groups and other industry associations involved in discovery and application of life sciences products and related services that improve the health and well-being of people throughout the world.

Georgia Bio’s mission is to advance the growth of Georgia’s life sciences industry and foster strategic partnerships that can create a healthier world. To accomplish this mission, GaBio conducts business and economic development activities; advocates on behalf of the industry on public policy matters; educates the public about the benefits of life sciences research and product development; and provides a network for the exchange of ideas, information and opportunities.

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BIO Statement on the Section 232 Pharmaceutical Proclamation

April 4, 2026
April 2, 2026- WASHINGTON, D.C. – John F. Crowley, President and CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) , released the following statement on Section 232 Pharmaceutical Proclamation. “A thriving American biotechnology ecosystem is essential to growing the U.S. economy, strengthening national security, and improving the health and well‑being of everyday Americans. While we appreciate the Administration’s recognition of the need for tariff exemptions for certain critical biotech products, the reality is that any tariffs on America’s medicines will raise costs, impede domestic manufacturing, and delay the development of new treatments - all while doing nothing to enhance our national security. “U.S. biotech companies have been eager to expand investments here at home, but tariffs, along with an uncertain policy environment and efforts to force “most‑favored nation” schemes, work directly against that goal. The risks are especially acute for small and mid‑size biotech companies, which develop more than half of all FDA‑approved medicines yet often lack the capital to build dedicated manufacturing facilities as they weather an industry defined by high costs, long development timelines, and significant risk. “The fact is: tariffs divert scarce resources away from research and development, weaken American biotech against China’s rising industry, and ultimately, harm health and economic wellbeing of Americans. “We stand ready to work with the Administration on a long‑term strategy that encourages biotechnology investment, reduces the time, cost, and uncertainty of developing new medicines, expands U.S. biomanufacturing capacity, and ensures American innovation is fairly valued overseas. Tariffs and MFN are not the answer." Source - https://www.bio.org/press-release/bio-statement-section-232-pharmaceutical-proclamation

Georgia Life Sciences Announces 2026 Georgia BioGENEius Challenge Winner

April 1, 2026
Atlanta, GA (April 1, 2026) – Georgia Life Sciences (GLS) is proud to announce that Saisurya Lakkimsetti, a junior at Lakeside High School in Columbia County, has been named the winner of the 2026 Georgia BioGENEius Challenge. The Georgia BioGENEius Challenge took place, as part of the statewide Georgia Science and Engineering Fair (GSEF) at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. Forty-seven students from across Georgia competed for this year’s title and cash prize. Jaehyeon Lee, an 11th-grade student from Walton High School, was named runner-up in this year’s competition. The Georgia BioGENEius Challenge recognizes outstanding high school students who are conducting innovative biotechnology research with real-world applications. This year’s top projects, presented in the Global Healthcare Challenge track, demonstrated exceptional scientific rigor and forward-thinking potential in addressing critical healthcare challenges. Saisurya’s research focuses on identifying potential inhibitors for Endocan, a protein known to play a role in glioblastoma tumor growth. Using advanced computational modeling techniques—including AlphaFold and molecular docking tools—she screened thousands of small molecules to identify compounds that may block tumor-promoting signaling pathways. Her work identified several promising candidates that could serve as a foundation for future drug development targeting glioblastoma. Jaehyeon’s project investigates how varying glucose concentrations affect regeneration in planaria, modeling impaired wound healing in diabetic conditions. By testing graded glucose environments and measuring regeneration indicators such as growth and differentiation, Jaehyeon demonstrated that lower glucose levels enhance regeneration while higher levels inhibit healing. The study establishes a model to better understand hyperglycemia’s impact on diabetic wound healing. “The work by these students is a powerful example of the innovation and determination we see in Georgia’s next generation of life sciences leaders,” said Maria Thacker Goethe, President and CEO of Georgia Life Sciences. “The BioGENEius Challenge is critical because it provides students with a platform to apply cutting-edge science to real-world problems, while also strengthening the future workforce that will drive breakthroughs in healthcare, biotechnology, and beyond.” The Georgia BioGENEius Challenge is part of Georgia Life Sciences’ broader commitment to advancing workforce development and fostering innovation across the state’s rapidly growing life sciences ecosystem. Judging the 2026 Georgia BioGENEius Challenge: Ian Biggs; Ralph Cordell, CDC; Alex Harvey, ViaMune; Jamie Graham, Smith Gambrell Russell; and Evan Scullin, LuminiSci.

Georgia Life Science's Feature in Very First Atlanta Edition of Inside Medicine

March 24, 2026
Georgia Life Sciences is thrilled to be featured in the very first Atlanta edition of Inside Medicine . This inaugural issue represents something truly special. Atlanta’s healthcare and life sciences community is driven by innovation, collaboration, and outstanding leadership—and we’re honored to be part of this exciting launch. Also in the issue, GLS's Kennedy Dumas is featured, sharing her journey on how observation and research evolved into a powerful practice of journaling. As the founder of Stationery Black, she creates notebooks designed to showcase, uplift, and inspire people of color. Read the full article here.
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