Biden Announces Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative, Inaugural ARPA-H Director

President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Monday to launch a National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative that aims to accelerate biotechnology innovation and grow America’s bioeconomy across multiple sectors, including health, agriculture and energy.

In a White House fact sheet, the administration announced plans to grow domestic biomanufacturing capacity, drive research and development, train a diverse skilled workforce and streamline regulations for products of biotechnology, among other goals. Additionally, the White House will host a summit today in which cabinet agencies will announce a wide range of new investments and resources to advance the executive order.

Biden also announced Renee Wegrzyn, PhD, as the inaugural director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Wegrzyn is currently the vice president for business development at Ginkgo Bioworks, a biotechnology company, and previously held roles in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA).