Reflecting on a Remarkable 2024; See You in 2025!

It’s our favorite time of the year, which means our team is out of the office from December 24 through January 3, taking a well-deserved break with family and friends.


As 2024 draws to a close, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Georgia Bio community for an extraordinary year. Together, we have continued to advance our shared mission of fostering innovation, collaboration, and growth within the life sciences sector. Last week, we also hosted the final meeting of the year with the Georgia Bio board, sharing our vision for the association’s future growth. A special thank you to our board chair, Steve Damon, for your leadership and vision during a transitional year where we re-emerged as a 501c6 non-profit allowing us to further our policy and advocacy work which our previous designation did not allow. This significant change prepares us to have a stronger voice as we get ready to enter the 2025 legislative session. 


Our rapidly growing membership is a testament to the energy, diversity, and strength of our community. Your contributions—whether through new ideas, partnerships, or engagement—continue to propel our industry forward and solidify Georgia as a leader in life sciences innovation. Looking ahead to 2025, we are excited to build on the momentum in 2025. Our focus will be to create high-value programs, strengthen collaborations, advocate for the industry and our members at the state and federal level, and open doors to new opportunities that drive progress and improve lives through science. Together, we will tackle challenges, celebrate achievements, and continue shaping the future of the life sciences.


On behalf of Georgia Bio, I wish you a joyous holiday season filled with peace, happiness, and inspiration. I look forward to welcoming members at the Georgia Bio State Affiliate Reception at JPMorgan in early January and invite you to Save the Date for a Georgia Bio Member Appreciation reception the evening of Feb. 11th. 


Thank you for your unwavering support and commitment to our mission. Cheers to a bright and impactful 2025!

Maria

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While we're out, we invite you to share in one to two words, what you are most optimistic about for 2025. Maybe your team is growing, you are starting a clinical trial or expanding your portfolio, excited about a transformative trend in the industry, or maybe you’re a optimistic about changes to the capital markets or regulatory landscape.

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January 20, 2026
January 20, 2026. Paulding County has been designated a BioReady Silver Community by Georgia Life Sciences, the state’s leading life sciences membership organization. The BioReady designation recognizes communities that demonstrate strong zoning practices, infrastructure capacity, and readiness to support biotechnology and life sciences development. “We are proud to recognize Paulding County as our newest BioReady Silver community,” said Maria Thacker-Goethe, President and CEO of Georgia Life Sciences. “Paulding County’s proactive planning, growing workforce, and access to regional healthcare and transportation infrastructure position it well to support life sciences manufacturing and commercialization. Through the BioReady program, we champion communities that are intentionally preparing to compete for industry investment and job growth.” Paulding County’s designation reflects its commitment to thoughtful land-use planning, scalable infrastructure, and business-friendly development policies that support life sciences and advanced manufacturing uses. Located in the northwest Atlanta metro region, the county offers access to a strong labor pool, major transportation corridors, and regional healthcare systems, making it an attractive option for biotechnology, medical device, diagnostics, and related life sciences companies seeking room to grow. “Georgia BioReady designation validates Paulding County’s readiness to support bioscience investment and strengthens our position as a growing hub for advanced industries,” said Alex Almodovar, President & CEO, Paulding County Economic Development Inc. & Industrial Building Authority The BioReady rating system evaluates communities across three tiers—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—based on their readiness to attract and support life sciences facilities. Through these ratings, Georgia Life Sciences helps municipalities better showcase biotech-appropriate sites, strengthen infrastructure planning, and clearly identify life sciences-friendly locations. This approach enables communities like Paulding County to compete more effectively for private investment and high-quality job creation. Georgia Life Sciences advances innovation, strengthens the workforce pipeline, and grows Georgia’s life sciences economy through the BioReady Community program, modeled after MassBio’s nationally recognized rating system, which assesses a community’s readiness to host life sciences facilities based on zoning practices and infrastructure capacity. About Georgia Life Sciences Georgia Life Sciences, 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 working to improve access to innovative discoveries that have lifesaving impact. The association connects business, academia, government, and other allied entities involved in the application of life sciences products to fuel growth and collaboration through policy development, community programs, national industry initiatives, and a portfolio of educational and networking events. Learn more at galifesciences.org.
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By: Patrick Plues | RealClearHealth January 8, 2026 For decades, America has led the global biotech industry – thanks, in part, to state-level policies that encourage research and manufacturing investments. But other countries, including China, are sparing no expense in the bid to overtake us. Beijing has officially made biotechnology a national strategic priority and is pouring billions into state-backed research and manufacturing efforts. All states should consider impactful biotech policies that grow and strengthen our domestic biotechnology industry. If states fail to utilize and replicate what are considered to be the best and most successful policies in biotech-focused economic development, the United States will soon lose its long-term leadership in developing medicines and medical technologies, which underpin our health, our economy, and our national security. Thankfully, many governors and state legislatures around the country are already answering this call -- as our new study, The U.S. Bioscience Industry: A Powerful Engine for State Economies, demonstrates. Keep Reading at https://www.realclearhealth.com/2026/01/08/americas_biotech_leadership_depends_on_the_states_1157584.html
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