NSCEB Final Report: Charting the Future of Biotechnology in America
The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) has released its final report, “Charting the Future of Biotechnology: An Action Plan for American Security and Prosperity.” This document outlines a strategic roadmap emphasizing the need for the United States to significantly increase investment—recommending a minimum of $15 billion over the next five years—in public-private biotechnology partnerships. Increasing the level of attention and investment in biotechnology is essential to remain competitive with China, which has prioritized the rapid advancement of biotechnology through artificial intelligence (AI) and strong manufacturing capabilities.
The message is clear: China has made biotechnology a strategic priority, and to remain competitive, the United States must lead in biotechnology innovation or else risk losing its global competitive edge.
Key Recommendations to Congress:
1. Prioritize Biotechnology at the National Level
- Establish a National Biotechnology Coordination Office (NBCO) to coordinate inter-agency actions on biotechnology
- Designate a senior official to lead biotechnology policy within each relevant agency
- Establish an Office of Global Competition Analysis to inform policymaker decisions
2. Mobilize the Private Sector to Get U.S. Products to Scale
- Direct federal regulatory agencies to create streamlined approval pathways, restore full R&D expensing, enhance the reach and impact of SBIR/STTR programs, and ensure consistent biotechnology demand through coordinated efforts by DHHS and DOE
- Authorize the DOE and DOC to build a national network of biomanufacturing facilities and establish a public-private biopharmaceutical manufacturing center of excellence
- Prohibit the use of certain Chinese biotechnology suppliers and strengthen oversight of foreign investments and Chinese oversupply in critical U.S. tech and biotech sectors.
3. Maximize the Benefits of Biotechnology for Defense
- Direct the DOD to establish ethical principles for biotechnology use in the military and support the development of domestic biomanufacturing facilities to meet defense needs
- Update military specifications to ease procurement of private-sector biotechnology products and require the DOD to utilize advance market commitments (AMCs)
- Instruct the DOD to develop a biotechnology-ready workforce, integrate biotech scenarios into war-gaming exercises, and prioritize intelligence on adversaries’ biotechnology advancements
4. Out-innovate Our Strategic Competitors
- Authorize the DOE to develop a Web of Biological Data (WBD), ensure biological data is AI-ready, and improve the accessibility and ease of biotechnology data collection
- Establish Centers for Biotechnology and launch a grand research challenge focused on making biotechnology predictably engineerable and biomanufacturing scalable and cost-effective
5. Build the Biotechnology Workforce of the Future
- Expand biotechnology education for American students, authorize new green cards to attract top biotechnology talent, and enhance vetting of foreign nationals to prevent illicit technology transfer
- Ensure federal agencies have the necessary expertise in biotechnology national security, with a strong emphasis on education and biomanufacturing training programs
6. Mobilize the Collective Strengths of Our Allies and Partners
- Include biotechnology in the scope of the Department of State’s (DOS) International Technology Security and Innovation Fund to support international biotechnology policy, R&D, and supply chain security, while also directing the DOS and other agencies to promote the U.S. biotechnology industry abroad through commercial and regulatory diplomacy
- Direct the DOS and DOD to coordinate with NATO on pooled biotech procurement, support global biotech standards, and develop a strategy for harmonizing multilateral export controls
Why This Matters
This report lands at a critical time. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed both the potential and the fragility of our biotech ecosystem. While mRNA vaccines and rapid diagnostics were remarkable achievements, gaps in manufacturing, data infrastructure, and supply chain resilience were also laid bare. Meanwhile, adversarial nations are pouring billions into biotech, not just for innovation, but for geopolitical leverage. From agriculture and energy to medicine and defense, biotechnology is rapidly becoming a discipline with influence on every major sector of the economy. The NSCEB’s report makes it clear that the U.S. must recognize biotechnology as an immediate pillar of national security and global competitiveness.
What’s Next
The success of this report depends on what happens next:
- Congressional Action: Expect proposed legislation to codify key recommendations; especially the NBCO and enhanced investment in workforce development.
- Agency Coordination: Departments like DOD, HHS, USDA, and DOE will need to align on cross-cutting programs and funding mechanisms.
- Private Sector Engagement: Startups, biomanufacturers, and investors will find new partnership opportunities with federal agencies. Government grants and contracts may increasingly prioritize technologies aligned with national biotechnology strategy.
- Global Diplomacy: The U.S. may lead efforts to establish international norms around biological data sharing, dual-use technology, and ethical biotech deployment.
Organizations in this space should begin mapping their capabilities to national priorities, engaging in new public-private partnerships, and preparing for a more centralized, coordinated biotechnology landscape.
Final Thoughts
The NSCEB Final Report is not just a wish list; it’s a playbook for how to lead in one of the most consequential technologies of our time. The U.S. has the scientific depth, entrepreneurial ecosystem, and global influence to stay ahead, but it will take intentional strategy and execution to get there.