Biodefense Hearing in Ann Arbor: Key Takeaways

Michigan’s role in the national biosciences economy - and its importance to U.S. biodefense - took center stage on April 10 as the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense at the Atlantic Council convened leaders from across government, industry, and academia in Ann Arbor for “Game Changers: Cures for 21st Century Biological Threats.” 

The convening underscored a central theme: biotechnology innovation is inseparable from national security. From pandemic preparedness to biomanufacturing capacity and supply chain resilience, speakers throughout the day emphasized that the United States is at a pivotal moment - one where leadership must be actively reinforced or risk being lost to global competitors. 

MichBio President & CEO Stephen Rapundalo, PhD, participated in the “Arsenal of Innovation” panel, highlighting Michigan’s integrated biosciences ecosystem and its direct relevance to biodefense readiness. In his testimony, Rapundalo emphasized that Michigan’s strengths lie not only in R&D, but in the full continuum of discovery, development, manufacturing, and distribution - a structure essential for rapid response to biological threats. He noted that the state’s biosciences sector includes more than 3,300 establishments, nearly 48,000 jobs, and over $55 billion in economic impact.  

At the same time, he cautioned that “leadership in biotechnology is not guaranteed. It must be continuously built - and protected.” 

His remarks focused on four core drivers critical to both innovation and biodefense:  

• sustained federal research investment, particularly through NIH 

• workforce development and upskilling, aligned with emerging technologies 

• access to growth-stage capital, particularly in non-coastal regions, and  

• coordinated economic and industrial policy to support domestic scale-up.  

He warned that instability across these areas is not just an economic concern - but a biodefense vulnerability, weakening the nation’s ability to respond to future threats. Fellow panelists reinforced and expanded these themes through the lens of their respective sectors.  

Zoetis emphasized the critical role of animal health and veterinary innovation as a frontline defense against emerging biological threats, particularly zoonotic diseases that can move between animals and humans and often serve as the earliest indicators of broader outbreaks. Their perspective underscored the need for strong domestic capabilities in animal vaccines, diagnostics, and surveillance systems - not only to protect agriculture, but as an essential component of national biodefense and early warning infrastructure. 

Ambient Biosciences highlighted the importance of scalable, resilient biomanufacturing infrastructure, particularly for biologically derived materials and critical inputs. Their remarks pointed to vulnerabilities in global supply chains and the risks of overreliance on foreign manufacturing capacity. They emphasized that innovation alone is insufficient without the ability to produce at scale, calling for investments in flexible, domestic manufacturing platforms that can pivot quickly in response to emerging threats and support both commercial and defense-related needs. 

Emergent BioSolutions brought a biodefense and public-private partnership perspective, emphasizing the importance of sustained federal commitment to preparedness infrastructure, including advanced development, manufacturing readiness, and strategic stockpiling. They highlighted the need for predictable government demand signals and long-term contracting mechanisms that enable companies to maintain surge capacity and specialized capabilities between crises. Without this continuity, they warned, critical infrastructure and expertise risk erosion, leaving the nation less prepared when the next emergency arises. 

Across the broader hearing, federal and national leaders reinforced the urgency of strengthening the systems that underpin innovation and preparedness.  

In a session focused on regulatory and strategic readiness, Dr. Peter Marks, former Director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), emphasized the need for a strong, fully staffed FDA that operates on rigorous, evidence-based decision-making. He stressed that maintaining scientific integrity and regulatory predictability is essential for sustaining public trust, enabling investment, and ensuring timely access to critical medical countermeasures. As technologies grow more complex - from gene therapies to next-generation vaccines - the agency must be equipped with the expertise and resources necessary to evaluate them effectively. He also noted that lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that speed and flexibility are achievable but must be institutionalized in a way that preserves the FDA’s gold-standard scientific rigor. 

Joining that discussion, Monique Mansoura, CEO of Beacon Biostrategies and former industry leader, emphasized the need to better align biotechnology innovation with national security strategy. She called for a more proactive, mission-driven approach that integrates public and private sector capabilities, supported by clear federal priorities and sustained investment. Mansoura underscored that biotechnology should be treated as strategic infrastructure, requiring coordinated planning and execution across agencies and sectors. Without this alignment, she warned, the U.S. risks falling behind global competitors that are investing with greater scale, speed, and long-term intent. 

A separate session focused on Great Lakes regional vigilance highlighted the importance of integrated public health and biopreparedness. Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive, emphasized that states are on the frontlines of detecting and responding to biological threats. She stressed the importance of sustained investment in surveillance systems, data sharing, and public health infrastructure, noting that preparedness cannot be episodic but must be continuously maintained. Strong coordination between federal, state, and local systems is essential to ensure rapid and effective response. 

Dr. Nora Wineland, Michigan State Veterinarian, reinforced the importance of a One Health approach, emphasizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. She highlighted that threats to agriculture and food systems can have cascading economic and national security consequences, and that early detection of zoonotic diseases is critical to preventing broader outbreaks. Strengthening veterinary diagnostics, surveillance networks, and integration with public health systems is essential to a comprehensive biodefense strategy. 

A consistent theme throughout the day was the fragility of the U.S. innovation pipeline. Speakers pointed to uncertainty in federal research funding, gaps in translational infrastructure, limited domestic manufacturing scale-up capacity, and fragmented investment ecosystems - particularly outside coastal hubs - as key challenges. These issues were framed not only as economic concerns, but as vulnerabilities that weaken national preparedness. 

Workforce development and biomanufacturing capacity were also highlighted as critical gaps. Rapundalo noted that while Michigan is a top producer of STEM talent, the challenge has shifted toward continuous workforce adaptation and upskilling, particularly in biomanufacturing and digital integration. Investments in training and regional workforce ecosystems are essential to ensuring that innovation can be scaled and deployed domestically. 

The overarching message from the hearing was clear: the U.S. must adopt a coherent national biotechnology strategy. This includes aligning research investment, regulatory policy, workforce development, and manufacturing strategy into a cohesive national framework. Speakers emphasized that leading global competitors are not just investing more - they are doing so with long-term coordination and strategic intent. In contrast, the U.S. approach remains fragmented, risking erosion of its historic leadership position. 

MichBio’s Rapundalo summed it up succinctly in closing his testimony: “In biotechnology - and in biodefense - uncertainty is not neutral. It is a competitive disadvantage, and a public health liability.” 

For Michigan, the hearing reinforced the state’s role as a critical contributor to the nation’s biodefense infrastructure - with some 16 large-scale facilities dedicated to biomanufacturing. With strengths spanning research, manufacturing, workforce, and supply chain capabilities, Michigan is well-positioned to support national efforts - if policy and investment frameworks enable continued growth and coordination.