Georgia Bio Members Take Advantage of the Abundant Networking and Partnering Opportunities at BIO 2019

Georgia Bio was delighted to attend the 2019 BIO International Convention in Philadelphia from June 3rd to June 6th. During the four days of programming and exhibitions under the theme, “It Starts with One,” Georgia Bio and some of its members had the opportunity to continue their mission of advancing the growth of Georgia’s life science industry by fostering new and existing relationships with like-minded organizations. 

The 2019 BIO International Convention included 126 educational sessions, more than 800 speakers, over 250 company presentations, 1,800 exhibitors, and plenty of networking and partnering opportunities. Among the 17,300 attendees at this year’s event were both Georgia life science companies and Georgia Bio members, PainCareLabs and Recro Gainesville.

Dr. Amy Baxter, founder and CEO of PainCareLabs in Atlanta, spoke positively about her experience exhibiting at the 2019 Convention and on the support that the State of Georgia was able to provide their affiliated companies that allowed them to take full advantage of their time at the convention. 

“Georgia did everything right,” explained Baxter. “They had a gorgeous booth, offered strong support so we could focus on networking, and executed great planning in advance.

“It may seem odd to be a medical device company at a bio/pharma event, but our devices work in conjunction with pharma products to block the pain of their injections and everyone was interested in how we could make the patient journey better for their patients. The explosion in the biosimilars market means companies want a way to differentiate their product and support.” 

Amy also noted that the female to men ratio at Convention was significantly higher compared to other industry conferences that she has attended, including J.P. Morgan, and there were several female CEOs that visited their booth. This year, BIO was able to break their own Guinness World Record for “The Largest Business Partnering Event” – previously set at BIO 2018 – by participating in over 48,500 partnering meetings at this year’s convention. Gaining access to an environment that facilitates this many networking and partnering opportunities is exactly why companies like PainCareLabs look forward to attending the annual event. 

“BIO is all about deals and we were able to get our first purchase order just 7 days after the show,” said Baxter. “We would definitely attend again!”

Tara Lorenz, Senior Marketing Manager at Recro Gainesville , also expressed her company’s enthusiasm for the event and the support that was provided to Georgia organizations. 

“Many attendees were excited to see the State of Georgia represented at BIO 2019 and approached our booth to learn about Recro Gainesville’s capabilities as a Contract Drug Manufacturing Organization,” stated Lorenz.  

“By attending and exhibiting at events such as BIO 2019, we have the opportunity to learn and reflect on how recent innovations and advances in technology could have a global impact to address unmet medical needs and increase the number of approved orphan drugs and rare disease medications worldwide.”

Lorenz also elaborated on the value of events like BIO that bring together large groups of innovators who don’t normally have the opportunity to collaborate on a day-to-day basis.

“This kind of collaboration is so instrumental for sharing best practices and fostering advancement in healthcare,” she explained. “These new conversations that develop into trusted relationships could advance a new molecule all the way to FDA approval and result in novel therapies for future generations. Events like this one truly help set the stage for manufacturing and commercializing new life saving medications for patients.” 

Georgia Bio loved the opportunity to partner with the State of Georgia on the Georgia Pavilion to help drive growth for our members and Georgia’s biosciences industry at the BIO International Convention, and we are looking forward to BIO 2020 in San Diego! For more information on Georgia Bio and our mission, visit www.gabio.org or follow us on Twitter @Georgia_Bio . 

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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