Georgia General Assembly Establishes Life Sciences Caucus to Advance Innovation and Industry Growth

Georgia Life Sciences leads effort to establish bipartisan caucus focused on advancing the state’s growing life sciences economy

March 17, 2026, Atlanta, GA – The Georgia General Assembly has announced the formation of the Life Sciences Caucus through HR 1474, a bipartisan, bicamural, initiative designed to strengthen understanding of Georgia’s rapidly growing life sciences sector and support policies that drive innovation, company growth, and economic opportunity across the state.



Developed and championed by Georgia Life Sciences (GLS), the caucus will serve as a platform for legislators to engage with industry leaders, researchers, and educators to better understand the opportunities and challenges shaping biotechnology, medical technology, pharmaceuticals, and advanced biomanufacturing in Georgia.


“The life sciences industry plays a vital role in Georgia’s economy, advancing groundbreaking research, creating high-quality jobs, and improving health outcomes,” said Maria Thacker Goethe, President & CEO of Georgia Life Sciences. “The Life Sciences Caucus will provide an important forum for collaboration and dialogue as policymakers work to support an environment where innovation and companies can thrive.”


Georgia’s life sciences sector continues to expand, with companies and institutions across the state driving new discoveries, scaling manufacturing capabilities, and attracting investment. The caucus will help ensure lawmakers have access to insights and perspectives from across the ecosystem as they consider policies that impact the industry’s continued growth.


Georgia Life Sciences extends its sincere thanks to the legislators who sponsored and supported the formation of the caucus, including Senators Drew Echols, Frank Ginn, Chuck Hufstetler, Michael ‘Doc” Rhett, Shawn Still, Carden Summers, Ben Watson, and Kenya Wicks, as well as House members Matt Dubnik, John LaHood, Karen Mathiak, Ron Stephens, Brad Thomas, and Bill Yearta.


Through the Life Sciences Caucus, legislators will have opportunities to learn more about the state’s innovation ecosystem, workforce needs, and policy priorities that can help Georgia remain competitive as a national hub for life sciences research, development, and manufacturing.


About Georgia Life Sciences


Georgia Life Sciences (GLS) is the state’s leading industry organization representing biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and digital health companies, along with research institutions and other ecosystem partners. GLS works to advance Georgia’s life sciences sector by supporting innovation, advocating for policies that enable growth, and developing the workforce needed to power the industry’s future.

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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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