VaBio News

From the desk of John Newby, CEO of Virginia Bio: “Virginia Bio is deeply concerned about the recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidance to limit funding for medical and life sciences research at universities, hospitals and other scientific entities. This change threatens to hinder scientific innovation, slow medical advancements, and jeopardize economic growth, particularly …

Today, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) awarded Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin with its 2024 Governor of the Year Award. BIO’s annual award honors governors for their leadership and commitment to strengthening biotechnology in their state. For over a decade, the award has recognized governors from across the country and both sides of the aisle. “Investing …

Virginia patients continue to struggle to balance health care costs with other daily living necessities. As state legislators explore different paths to improve access to care for communities across the commonwealth, commonsense solutions that will effectively lower costs and other barriers that patients face at the pharmacy counter must be at the forefront. To improve …

Every two years, the Virginia Biotechnology Association recognizes individual Virginians for their significant contributions to bioscience and the Virginia biotechnology ecosystem.  On May 17, Jeff Conroy, former CEO of Embody, Inc., and Jim Powers, former CEO of HemoShear were presented with the Outstanding Contributions to Bioscience Award at Virginia Bio’s THRiVE 2024 statewide conference in …

LifeNet Health, a global leader in regenerative medicine, recently collaborated with AP biology students at Landstown High School to offer hands‐on learning experiences with human tissue and cellular solutions. This initiative is part of the Life Sciences Virginia pilot program, which aims to foster interest in life science careers among students and cultivate a talent …

Alleviating high health care costs remains a top priority for Virginia lawmakers this legislative session. While addressing medication affordability and access concerns should remain a priority for everyone, any policy solution to do so must strike a balance between addressing affordability, preserving patient access to critical treatments and protecting Virginia’s leading life sciences innovation ecosystem. …

Each year, Virginia Bio recruits volunteer judges from the membership to attend the Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair to select the top three winners in the field of biosciences. The time commitment is limited to a pre-event online review of the submissions to select the finalists and then a few hours onsite at the …

The end of 2023 marked the completion of Virginia’s first statewide life sciences initiative, Virginia Bio-Connect, which started in April 2021. This comprehensive industry cluster strengthening project, supported by Virginia Growth and Opportunity Foundation funding and led by the Virginia Biotechnology Association, engaged thousands of life sciences professionals and hundreds of organizations and companies within …

As the vibrant biotechnology and life sciences industry in Virginia flourishes, our mission at the Virginia Biotechnology Association remains steadfast: to promote innovation and growth through strengthened advocacy, talent attraction, development and retention while advancing the next generation of leaders. We succeed because Virginia encourages risk-takers to develop new health care and technology treatments. Virginia’s …

The Virginia Bio Membership has elected two new Directors to the Virginia Bio Board. Joining the Board are Maria Clarke, Executive Director, J.P. Morgan Private Bank and Susan Mitchell, CEO of Athari Bio.  The new Directors’ 3-year terms will begin in April 2024. “Two years ago, we decided to expand our Board of Directors to …

About two years ago, the STEM2VA Program kicked off to provide internship opportunities for Virginia students within the life sciences sector on one side and to facilitate the recruitment process and offset some costs for the employers on another. The program was part of the Virginia Bio-Connect project funded by the GO Virginia grant initiative. …

Biomedical innovation has brought hope to patient communities across the country and transformed Virginia’s local life sciences industry. Yet, in attempts to lower costs of prescription drugs, federal lawmakers continue to push for policies that would weaken intellectual property (IP) protections and deplete much-needed future investments in innovation. Virginia is a national leader in medical …

The 8th Women Building Bio, Virginia Bio’s annual conference, held in Manassas, VA, on September 28, gathered over 100 life sciences professionals who convened to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and explore innovative approaches that help women thrive in the field. The fact that this year’s conference theme, “Building Better,” attracted everyone from life science students …

More than thirty leading organizations from across the life sciences today launched the Partnership for the U.S. Life Science Ecosystem (PULSE), a coalition to raise awareness of the fundamental role of pro-innovation mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in advancing the next generation of treatments and cures for patients. The U.S. is home to thousands of life …

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced today more than $3.7 million in Growth and Opportunity for Virginia (GO Virginia) grant awards for 11 projects designed to empower workforce development, bolster startup ecosystems and promote economic growth in the Commonwealth. These initiatives will play a pivotal role in nurturing skilled talent, fostering entrepreneurial ventures and bridging the gap …

More than 50 Henrico County high school students and teachers joined scientists from Virginia’s public health and environmental laboratory Wednesday to kick off an innovative program that brings together private and government scientists and experts, business and nonprofit leaders, and public schools to explore ways to create a pipeline of talent to fuel Virginia’s growing …

Virginia Bio and its member companies Ampel BioSolution, Canon Virginia Inc., City of Virginia Beach, CytoRicovery, LifeNet Health, Marsh McLennan Agency, PAK Biosolutions, and ReAlta Life Sciences, are recognized as the 2023 Top Virginia Employers for Interns! Read more about this award that recognizes companies and organizations that foster talent development in Virginia in the article below.   …

Each year, Virginia Bio recruits volunteer judges from the membership to attend the Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair to select the top three winners in the field of biosciences. The time commitment is limited to a pre-event online review of the submissions to select the finalists and then a few hours onsite at the …

The Virginia Biotechnology Association (Virginia Bio), the statewide, nonprofit trade association representing Virginia’s life sciences industry, looks ahead to the industry’s next 30 years. Proudly serving an industry that brings 26,000 jobs and $8 billion into the Commonwealth, Virginia Bio recently celebrated its 30th anniversary with members and supporters. Founded in 1992 amid the “Dot.com” …

Each year, Virginia Bio recruits volunteer judges from the membership to attend the Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair to select the top three winners in the field of biosciences. The time commitment is limited to a pre-event online review of the submissions to select the finalists. This years Fair is on April 9, 2022 …

The Board expands from 24 to 30 Directors to bring more diverse expertise and insight from Virginia’s Life Science Ecosystem. Richmond, VA (December 30, 2021) – The Virginia Bio Membership has elected six new Directors to the Virginia Bio Board. Joining the Board are: Gerry Brunk, Managing Director of Lumina Ventures; Jessica Foley, CSO of …

The ongoing struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of its delta variant have highlighted the critical role of Virginia’s life sciences companies in combating significant public health threats. In near-record time, biotechnology companies developed effective COVID treatments, vaccines and tests, all while being a major economic and jobs driver in the commonwealth. However, …

George Mason University’s Mason Enterprise is establishing a new network of life science business mentors to help startups across Virginia launch and scale their ventures. The new team of mentors will support a broad range of life science companies in bringing their innovations, including therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics and software, to market. This network will …

Virginia Bio and the Virginia Bioscience Foundation have named Albemarle High School’s, Meenakshi “Meena” Ambati, as the winner of the 2021 Virginia BioGENEius Challenge, the premier competition for high school students that recognizes outstanding research and innovation in the biotechnology field. As the Virginia BioGENEius finalist, Meena will attend the 2021 BIO Digital Conference, where …