President Biden signed an executive order on Sept. 12, 2022, to launch a national biotechnology and biomanufacturing initiative. Renee Wegrzyn, Ph.D., vice president of business development at Ginkgo Bioworks, has been appointed to lead the initiative, known as the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).
The executive order will accelerate the use of biotech in agriculture, medicine and energy as an alternative to fossil fuel-based products. As a new government agency, the ARPA-H will also drive biomedical innovation to support American health.
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Jason Kelly, Ph.D., CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks, joined a summit on biotechnology and biomanufacturing, hosted at the White House on Sept. 14, 2022. There, government and industry leaders discussed how to grow the bio-economy and adapt adapt to economic, ecological and societal challenges. Kelly noted the importance of this industry being built with care and U.S. values.
The executive order contains new efforts by the U.S. government to support the synthetic biology and biotechnology sector. It is available to read at Whitehouse.gov.
