Securing the U.S. Bioeconomy: A Managed Access Framework for Biotechnology Innovation

Publication Date: May 2026

Federal biological data is fragmented, siloed, and ungoverned at the moment AI makes integration most consequential. This memo proposes three complementary actions: a DOE-led federated pilot program to unify data access across federal repositories, a NIST-developed biological data ontology to enable machine-readable interoperability, and an OSTP/NSTC interagency subcommittee to replace incompatible agency-specific data-use agreements with a unified, tiered framework. Together, these recommendations build the governance infrastructure the U.S. bioeconomy needs to remain competitive and secure.

Citation: Judd, J. Securing the U.S. Bioeconomy: A Managed Access Framework for Biotechnology Innovation. Engineering Biology Research Consortium. May 2026. https://doi.org/10.25498/E4XM5P.

Keywords: biological data governance, bioeconomy, AIxBio, biosecurity, national security, infrastructure

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Mary Maxon

Advancing the Bioeconomy Industry Ecosystem – an EBRC networking event at SynBioBeta 2026

On the eve of SynBioBeta, come continue to celebrate the Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC)’s 10 Year Anniversary of advancing engineering biology to address national and global needs with an evening of conversation, drinks, and light bites.

The event will feature Advancing the Bioeconomy’s Industry Ecosystem, bringing together leaders from the biotechnology industry to explore the challenges and opportunities in derisking the future of engineering biology innovation. It will also highlight how organizations, like EBRC, can serve as a convening platform, giving collective voice to the community’s needs and priorities.

Speakers include:

  • John Dileo, Senior Principal Biotechnologist (MITRE)
  • Rebecca Nugent, Venture Partner (Breakout Ventures)
  • James Diggans, Vice President, Policy and Biosecurity (Twist Bioscience)
  • Alina Meltaus, Chief of Staff (NSCEB)
  • India Hook-Barnard, CEO (EBRC)
  • More speakers TBA!

Panelists will share perspectives on what it takes to scale biotechnology solutions to address real-world challenges, and what they see as the most pressing priorities and exciting opportunities for the engineering biology community in the years to come.

Date and Time
May 4, 2026 from 5:00-8:00pm PT

Location
The Farmers Union
151 W. Santa Clara St
San Jose, CA 95113

Because space is limited, please register to help us plan. Hope to see you there!

Event Flyer

Andrew Arthur

Andrew Arthur brings nearly 30 years of strategic and commercial leadership in the mining industry to his role as CFO and Chief Commercial Development Officer at Endolith. He spent over 20 years at BHP, including a decade as a Vice President across copper strategy, resource engineering, and technical excellence. That tenure included leading strategy and business development for BHP’s copper portfolio from Santiago, Chile, and oversight of legacy asset optimization globally.

Before joining Endolith, Andrew ran his own advisory practice focused on copper legacy assets, working with operators to maximize recovery value and minimize closure risk — precisely the problem set Endolith’s biological intelligence platform is built to solve.

He brings deep expertise in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic planning, and commercial development, and is a qualified accountant. At Endolith, he leads the financial and commercial functions as the company scales deployment with Tier 1 mining partners.

Liz Dennett

Liz Dennett is the founder and CEO of Endolith, a biological intelligence company improving critical mineral recovery in real mining environments. Endolith deploys adaptive microbial systems that integrate with existing heap leach infrastructure to increase copper recovery, with field-validated results from major mining operators including BHP.

Before founding Endolith, Liz was a Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services, where she worked on scaling digital infrastructure and developed a clear view of the physical mineral constraints underlying the digital economy. That intersection — between the demand for critical materials and the limits of conventional extraction — became the foundation for Endolith’s approach.

Liz holds a PhD and brings together systems thinking, field deployment experience, and a deep conviction that biology, deployed intelligently, can close the gap between what mines produce and what they’re capable of.

Timmi Turley

Timmi Turley is currently a Principal Analyst at EBRC. Her 20+ years of professional experience spans higher education and research organizations. Her background includes leadership roles in higher education strategy, collaborative research initiatives, directing event and program management, and leading donor engagement programs. Most recently, she was a Special Projects Manager at BioMADE. She has a B.S. in Communication and a M.Ed in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Arizona State University.