Pursuing the Golden Age of Innovation: Strategic Priorities in Biotechnology

House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology

2025-06-05

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Source: Congress.gov

Summary

The meeting focused on the critical importance of biotechnology for American innovation, economic strength, and national security, while emphasizing the urgent need for strategic action to maintain global leadership in the face of intense international competition, particularly from China [ 00:15:48-00:15:51 ]

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[ 00:16:41 ]

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. Discussions highlighted the transformative potential of biotechnology across various sectors, the necessity of federal investment and public-private partnerships, and concerns regarding proposed budget cuts that could undermine the US scientific enterprise [ 00:18:10-00:19:04 ]

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Themes

US Leadership and Global Competition in Biotechnology

The United States has historically been a global leader and innovator in biotechnology, with American scientists consistently producing breakthroughs [ 00:16:16 ]

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. However, participants expressed significant concern that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is rapidly closing the gap and seeks to dominate the field through substantial investment, talent recruitment, and a "whole of nation" approach [ 00:16:41 ]

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. It was noted that China leads in biotech-related publications and agricultural R&D spending, and is investing heavily in biology-enabled warfare, posing a challenge to US leadership . Biotechnology is identified as the basis of the next industrial revolution, projected to be worth $4 trillion globally by 2030, making it essential for the US to maintain its forefront position [ 00:16:58 ]

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Importance of Federal Investment and Budget Concerns

Federal investment is deemed critical for driving innovation, supporting foundational research, and ensuring US leadership in biotechnology for decades to come [ 00:18:10 ]

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. Concerns were raised about proposed budget cuts, specifically mentioning a 57% cut to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and significant reductions to biotech programs and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) . These cuts are viewed as potentially devastating to the research enterprise, threatening US competitiveness, driving away talent, and potentially yielding leadership to China . While acknowledging the budget proposals are initial, the sentiment was that such reductions could severely undermine the "whole of nation strategy" needed for biotechnology .

Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Biotechnology

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is recognized as a transformative force in biotechnology, with the potential to accelerate discovery and significantly reduce research costs [ 00:17:17 ]

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. AI's ability to decipher biological patterns and enable direct programming of cells is compared to how large language models interact with human languages [ 00:17:33 ]

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. However, there are significant concerns about the malicious use of AI in biotechnology, emphasizing the need for regulatory structures and guardrails to prevent disastrous consequences while still fostering innovation . The integration of AI with synthetic biology is expected to lead to "generative biology," promising new dimensions of strategic innovation .

Applications and Potential of Biotechnology

Biotechnology is recognized for its wide-ranging impact, influencing healthcare, materials, food production, and energy [ 00:16:14 ]

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. Examples of its applications include high-yield crops, disease treatments (e.g., genetically engineered human insulin, Alzheimer's drugs), biomanufacturing of biomaterials and biofuels, and environmental solutions like bioremediation of plastic waste and recovery of critical minerals . The field is compared to the early days of computing (1975), suggesting that it is on the cusp of transformative societal and economic changes, moving towards pervasive and personal biotechnology [ 01:06:39-01:07:39 ]

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Public-Private Partnerships and Workforce Development

Public-private partnerships are highlighted as a crucial strength of the US science and technology enterprise, essential for making complementary investments and translating research into commercial technology [ 00:18:56 ]

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. The Department of Energy's national laboratories, for instance, play a vital role in high-risk, foundational research that lays the groundwork for private industry innovation . There is a strong emphasis on the need to train a robust biotechnology workforce, from highly skilled researchers and engineers to manufacturing technicians, to ensure continued innovation and production within the US . Concerns were raised about the impact of budget cuts and restrictions on international visa holders on the talent pipeline .

Biosecurity and Ethical Considerations

Biotechnology presents significant risks if exploited by malicious actors, necessitating robust security mechanisms and careful consideration of dual-use technologies . Discussions touched on the need for appropriate safeguards, especially concerning "gain of function" research and the potential for new tools like CRISPR-Cas9 to be misused [ 01:48:28 ]

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. The democratization of biotechnology through desktop gene synthesis and AI models capable of providing dangerous knowledge raises concerns about unmonitored experiments and the potential for accidental or intentional release of pathogens . It was emphasized that securing biotechnology requires world-leading capabilities and a proactive approach to evolving threats .

Tone of the Meeting

The overall tone of the meeting was urgent and concerned, driven by repeated warnings about the critical juncture the US faces in maintaining its leadership in biotechnology against formidable global competitors, particularly China . While expressions of bipartisan collaboration on the core subject of biotechnology were evident, there was also significant frustration and critique directed at the administration's proposed budget cuts, which many saw as undermining the very goals discussed [ 00:40:51 ]

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. Despite these challenges, an underlying optimism about the transformative potential of biotechnology ("golden age of innovation") was present, coupled with a realistic understanding of the threats and the substantial strategic investments required [ 00:16:58 ]

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. The session was highly informative, with witnesses providing detailed insights into the science, applications, and policy implications of biotechnology [ 00:46:40 ]

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Participants

Transcript

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Good morning, everyone.  Committee will come to order.  Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare a recess of the committee at any time.  I'd like to welcome everyone to today's hearing entitled Pursuing the Golden Age of Innovation, Strategic Priorities in Biotechnology.  This is a critically important subject, and I am really looking forward to our discussion today.  So I will start by recognizing myself for five minutes from opening statement.   Since Mendel's first experiments with pea plants laid the foundation for our understanding of genetics, humans have been using biological principles to advance science and technology.  From healthcare to materials to food production, biotechnology influences every industry in the United States.   Throughout the 20th century, the US has dominated the field of biotechnology.  In fact, modern biotechnology is actually an American innovation.  US scientists consistently produce breakthroughs, innovations, and solidify our position as a global leader.   However, I think we all recognize that the Chinese Communist Party is closing the gap in biotechnology.  Our Chinese competitors seek to dominate the field and force global dependence on their manufacturing capabilities.  In fact, in just five years, the market value of Chinese biotechnology firms has increased 100-fold and is now valued at $300 billion.   The golden age of innovation for biotechnology is here, and it's essential that the U.S.  be at the forefront, and that's why we're having this hearing today.  With the help of artificial intelligence, our researchers are beginning to decipher the patterns that govern the complex behavior of biological systems.  The tremendous modeling power of AI will allow for the direct programming of cells to perform specific functions just as we program computers today.   Imagine the potential applications of AI where we have models fluent in DA and biological molecules in the same way that large language models are fluent in human languages.
That's why AI is poised to revolutionize biotechnology, accelerating discovery and dramatically reducing research costs.  However, to unlock this potential, we must invest in the fundamental research and development that will drive the innovations of tomorrow.   In an address earlier this year, Michael Kratios, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, recognized biotechnology as a national science priority, and I completely agree with the director.  The government must enable American scientists to explore new theories and empower engineers to commercialize this technology.  However, I think we all recognize federal investments alone cannot achieve this goal, and the U.S.  must capitalize on its strengths.  One such strength   of our domestic science and technology enterprise is public-private partnerships.  The federal government must coordinate with private industry to make complementary investments that advance science and technology.  In our current fiscal environment, which we all know is challenging, we need to prioritize investments to protect the precious public treasure that's been entrusted to us.   In April, the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology released a report emphasizing the significance of maintaining US global leadership.  This report includes numerous recommendations for this committee, which I look forward to discussing with everyone today.  Importantly, the report highlights the necessity of a whole of nation strategy to unlock America's biotechnology potential.  The National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology are strategically positioned to promote this national effort.   For example NSF has established five bio foundry facilities that enable researchers to rapidly design create test and refine the development of tools and technology for advancing biotechnology.  I was pleased to see the president's budget request includes continued support for these facilities.  We'll talk about some of the other aspects of the president's budget request.   The NSCEB report also calls for NIST to create standards for biological data to ensure readiness for use in AI models.
This recommendation builds on NIST's existing activities, which already provide reference materials for quality control, benchmarking data, and technical advice for US and international standards development.   Additionally, the NIST Biomanufacturing Program supports the U.S.  pharmaceutical industry in delivering high quality and low cost drugs worldwide, including through the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals.  Federal investment can be a force multiplier that reinvigorates our biotechnology research ecosystem and guarantees U.S.  leadership for decades to come.   Whatever strategy Congress adopts, it must promote and protect American values while being flexible enough to adapt and pivot to take advantage of new technological advancements.  I believe the U.S.  can continue its leadership in biotechnology, but we must act now.

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