Georgia Bio Names 2022 Golden Helix Award Winners

Clearside Biomedical’s Rafael Andino and The Georgia Institute of Technology’s Krishnendu Roy to be Honored with Top Award

ATLANTA, GA (April 11, 2022) – Georgia Bio, the state’s life science trade association, will celebrate its annual Golden Helix Awards on Thursday, May 5 th . Georgia Bio is pleased to announce the winners of the 2022 Golden Helix Awards and be returning to an in-person celebration.

Clearside Biomedical’s Rafael V. Andino and The Georgia Institute of Technology’s Krishnendu Roy are the recipients of the 2022 Industry Growth Awards for their impact on the life sciences industry in the state. The Industry Growth Awards are the highest honors bestowed each year by Georgia Bio.

The Golden Helix Awards celebrate the contributions and achievements of Georgia legislative, academic, corporate, and other organizational leaders working to advance the growth of the life sciences industry and foster strategic partnerships that can create a healthier world. The event is expected to draw 300 of the state’s life sciences industry leaders.

“We are thrilled to have our annual awards dinner return to being an in-person celebration of the individuals and companies who are making waves in the life sciences industry,” said Maria Thacker Goethe, CEO, Georgia Bio and the Center for Global Health Innovation (CGHI), “Our community strives to improve patients’ lives, support workforce development, grow Georgia’s economy, and be a driving force for good in the world. The Golden Helix Awards highlights those lasting contributions made by many in the life sciences sector in Georgia.”

Now in its 24 th year, the Golden Helix Award winners showcase the best in innovation and leadership in Georgia’s community. Georgia Bio presents awards to individuals and companies in eight categories: Industry Growth; Deals of the Year; Community; Innovation; Emerging Leader; Biotech Teacher of the Year; Legislator of the Year; and the Metro Atlanta Chamber sponsored Phoenix Award. Winners are some of Georgia’s hardest working innovators and entrepreneurs producing advanced medicines, diagnostics and technologies to improve medical care.

Companies being honored with the distinguished Deal of the Year award include: Antios Therapeutics for their successful fundraising efforts, which included closing on a Series B financing round totaling $107 million dollars; Axion Biosystems for their sale to Summa Capital; Guide Therapeutics for their sale to Beam Therapeutics; Danimer Scientific for their $700 million dollar expansion of a 2,000,000-square-foot facility in Bainbridge, Georgia; MedShape, Inc. for their sale to DJO; Intuitive Surgical’s commitment to creating 1,200 new jobs that will have an average salary of over $130,000 in Gwinnett County; Kennesaw State University for earning a three-year, $809,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to strengthen the University’s research and diversity infrastructures in the biomedical fields; Sharecare for going public through a merger with Falcon Capital Acquisition Corp.; Strados Labs for raising $4.5M in Pre-series A Funding; and VERO Biotech for receiving $100 million in a Series E financing round led by MVM Partners (MVM).

“The Metro Atlanta Chamber is honored to present the Phoenix Award this year to two titans of economic development in Georgia for their partnership in creating the Delta Innovation Hub at the University of Georgia, said David Hartnett, Chief Economic Development Officer at the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and member of the Georgia Bio Awards Committee. “Their collaboration will invigorate Georgia’s innovation ecosystem for years to come and symbolizes what the spirit of the Golden Helix Awards and Phoenix Awards is all about.”

AWARD WINNERS 

Georgia Bio Industry Growth Awards:  Presented to two people who have made an extraordinary contribution to the growth of the life sciences industry in Georgia.

  • Rafael V. Andino, Clearside Biomedical, Inc.
  • Krishnendu Roy, Georgia Institute of Technology

Phoenix Award:  The Phoenix award represents the iconic “rising from the ashes” of the Phoenix, a symbol of strength, tenacity and leadership and is presented to celebrate the best Industry and Academic collaborations. The two Georgia honorees will have forged academic and industry relationships that will drive translation and lead to new treatments and cures. This award is sponsored by the  Metro Atlanta Chamber. 

  • Delta Air Lines Foundation
  • UGA Innovation District

Deals of the Year Awards:  Presented to one or more companies or institutions for the most significant financial or commercial transactions closed from January 1, 2021-December 31, 2021, based on the importance of the transaction to Georgia’s life sciences industry. 

Acquisitions 

Summa Capital acquisition of Axion Biosystems

Beam Therapeutics acquisition of Guide Therapeutics

DJO acquisition of MedShape, Inc.

Economic Development

Danimer Scientific

Intuitive Surgical

Private Financing 

Antios Therapeutics

Sharecare

Strados Labs

VERO Biotech

Public Financing 

Kennesaw State University

Community Awards:  Presented to a small number of individuals, companies or institutions whose contributions to Georgia’s life sciences community are worthy of special recognition. 

  • Ian Biggs, University of Georgia Innovation Gateway
  • Angelita Howard, EdD, MBA-PM, MA, Morehouse School of Medicine
  • Wilbur Lam, MD, PhD, Emory University & Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Dorothy Leone-Glasser, RN, HHC, Advocates for Responsible Care
  • Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant, University of Georgia
  • Grace Powers, MS, MBA, RAC, Powers Regulatory Consulting
  • Ryan White Program, Augusta University

Innovation Awards:  Presented to the department, institution, company or individuals who are forging new ground by thinking outside traditional paradigms to create some unique technology. 

  • GENOSYL, VERO Biotech

Emerging Leader of the Year Awards:  Presented to young individuals who have made a significant impact on the life sciences industry through their studies or employment. 

  • Aaron Enten, PhD, MBA, Insight Optics

Teacher of the Year Award:  Presented to a Georgia biotechnology high school teacher who exhibits excellence in STEM teaching and support for the biotechnology pathway. 

  • Cynthia Greer, North Hall High School

Legislators of the Year Award:  Presented to state legislators for their support of the life sciences industry in Georgia. 

  • The Honorable Chuck Hufstetler, Georgia State Senate
  • The Honorable Shaw Blackmon, Georgia House of Representatives

For a list of past Georgia Bio Industry Growth Award recipients,  click here. 

ABOUT GEORGIA BIO (GaBio) 

Georgia Bio is a division of the Center for Global Health Innovation (CGHI), a 501(c)(3) organization that was launched in January 2020 to bring together diverse Global Health, Health Technology and Life Sciences entities to collaborate, innovate and activate solutions to enhance human health outcomes around the world. Visit CGHI at  cghi.org. 

Credentialed members of the news media are invited to attend as guests. Please register with Georgia Bio. 

Media Contact:

Ryan Brooks

404-805-2456 

Athens Bioscience Names New Leadership Team to Drive Commercial Growth

June 18, 2026
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

Showcase Your Startup at the 2026 Georgia Life Sciences Summit

June 17, 2026
As part of the Georgia Life Sciences Summit (August 25–26), applications are now open for the Startup Showcase , sponsored by Johnson & Johnson , highlighting early-stage innovation across MedTech and Therapeutics . The Showcase will feature some of Georgia’s most innovative life science startups, giving emerging companies the opportunity to present groundbreaking technologies, products, and solutions to a distinguished audience of industry leaders, investors, researchers, and partners. Selected startups will present during the August 26 luncheon program and participate in a live investor Q&A session with John Gutierrez (Ascenta Capital), Emma Heckenberg, Ph.D. (Solas BioVentures), Patrick Jordan (NovaQuest Capital Management), and Emily Dinu (Numinous Capital) Members of the Johnson & Johnson external innovation team will also be onsite for the program and select companies will be scheduled for a 1:1 meeting to discuss strategic alignment and potential collaboration opportunities. If you or companies in your network are building in MedTech or Therapeutics, this is a strong opportunity to gain visibility, receive feedback on commercialization and growth strategy, and connect with key stakeholders. All applicants receive a complimentary Summit registration, and one selected company will also be invited to participate in the NewYorkBIO / New York Stock Exchange Life Sciences Showcase on December 10. If this is relevant to your work, it would be a strong opportunity to consider applying. If not, it may be worth sharing with companies in your network who are building in this space.

Georgia Life Sciences Educator Connection | June Newsletter

June 15, 2026
Workforce & Education Impact: Building Georgia's Future  Life Sciences Workforce - One Teacher at a Time June 16, 2026 - As Georgia Life Sciences concludes the 2025-2026 cycle of the Biotech Teacher Training Initiative (BTTI), the results reinforce the critical role educators play in building the state's future life sciences workforce. Since July of 2025, BTTI engaged 98 educators representing 40 schools across 23 school systems, reaching an estimated 5,375 students through hands-on biotechnology instruction, career-connected learning, and industry-relevant classroom experiences. The Georgia Life Sciences Equipment Depot further expanded the program's impact by supporting 238 teachers with access to laboratory equipment and materials that make authentic life sciences learning possible. Georgia Life Sciences is also pleased to report that funding for BTTI was maintained in the Georgia House version of the FY 2027 budget approved earlier this year. The upcoming 2026-2027 program cycle will mark an important evolution for BTTI. Building on feedback from industry partners and workforce trends across the life sciences sector, Georgia Life Sciences will expand the program's scope to better reflect the skills and competencies employers increasingly need. In addition to foundational biotechnology concepts, future programming will be organized around key industry domains, including Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC), Research & Development (R&D), MedTech, Artificial Intelligence, Automation, and Advanced Manufacturing. This expanded approach will provide educators with greater insight into the breadth of career opportunities available across Georgia's life sciences ecosystem while helping students develop awareness of the technologies and disciplines shaping the industry's future. The impact extends far beyond individual workshops, creating lasting connections between Georgia classrooms and the state's growing life sciences ecosystem while helping build the talent pipeline that will power Georgia's future innovation economy. "Before BTTI, I was hesitant to do biotech labs because they seemed too complex and expensive," shared Josephine Jeganathan of Stockbridge High School. "The program showed me how simplified it can be and provided the equipment and materials needed to successfully implement the Central Dogma Lab with all my classes." Teachers are also seeing increased student engagement through hands-on learning experiences. Tonie Curry of North Clayton High School used a chromatography lab to connect environmental science concepts to water pollution and sustainability. "Students were highly interested in seeing how substances separated and made strong connections to water pollution and environmental sustainability," Curry noted. "The hands-on nature of the lab encouraged curiosity and deeper understanding." For many educators, one of the most valuable aspects of the program is the connection between classroom learning and real-world careers. As Marshai Waiters of Marietta Middle School reflected: "Exposure is key. There are so many avenues to work in STEM, and they are all accessible with opportunity and knowledge. The insights gained from industry speakers will inform my teaching and create new opportunities for student exposure." When teachers are trained, equipped, and connected to industry, students gain more than a science lesson—they gain a window into Georgia's life sciences future.
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