Good Day BIO, LIVE from Boston

The 2023 BIO International Convention kicks off today, and the Good Day BIO and Bio.News team is on the ground in Boston to bring you the news and highlights. Below, what we’re watching plus news about the biotech workforce, pandemic preparedness, and future partnerships. (584 words, 2 minutes, 55 seconds)

How to follow Good Day BIO Live

• Follow Bio.News for panel recaps, exclusive Q&As, and much more.
• Join the conversation on Twitter with @IAmBiotech and the hashtag #BIO23. Watch for exclusive video content and repost-worthy quotes, and tell us what you're discovering! 
• FOMO got you down? It’s not too late to register and hop on over to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center—click here.

What we’re watching on Monday: The day begins with a press conference with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who will make a special announcement on the future of Boston’s life sciences ecosystem. Our team is rushing off to the APAC Summit and panels on hot topics like antimicrobial resistance, pandemic preparedness (with special remarks from PASTEUR Act sponsor Sen. Todd Young), the EU Pharmaceutical Package, clinical trial diversity, and AI. We’ll also hear from regulators from the FDA and European Medicines Agency.

3 things to know on Monday

1. Workforce training, diversity initiatives key to biotech sector growth
BIO CEO Rachel King and Zach Stanley, Executive Director of Bioversity at MassBio, published an op-ed in the Boston Business Journal highlighting the growth of the biotech sector—and the need for workforce training and diversity initiatives to keep it going.

The status: “Venture capital funding so far this year is healthy, with more than $2.6 billion invested in Massachusetts biotech companies. M&A activity is coming back to life. And despite the headlines, employer demand for talent remains strong as many companies continue to expand while new biotech companies launch regularly,” they said.

But: “Career awareness and exploration is paramount. Everyone, especially those from underrepresented populations, must see themselves in a career in biotechnology.”

Read more about what BIO and MassBio are doing.

2. We’re not ready for the next pandemic
Americans want us to be ready for the next health emergency, according to a recent BIO/Healthcare Ready survey. Phyllis Arthur, BIO’s SVP of Infectious Disease and Emerging Science and Chair of Healthcare Ready, and Tom Cotter, MPH, Executive Director of Healthcare Ready, explore whether or not we’re prepared.

The verdict is in: 92% of respondents agree that "the ability to effectively prevent public health emergencies is a crucial part of maintaining U.S. national security."

But: Only 22% of respondents believe that the U.S. would be "very prepared" for a new public health emergency today. 

Read and share their five takeaways from the survey and what we should do about it.

3. Expect groundbreaking new biotech partnerships soon
Already, 50,000 partnering meetings have been scheduled at the BIO International Convention—a new record, BIO CEO Rachel King told us.

Her top tips for the convention: “A good pair of walking shoes,” “drink lots of water,” and “take the time to savor it, because we’re going to be very busy but this is a really special opportunity.”

Forget Cannes – it's all about BIO

Across all four days of the BIO International Convention, the BIO Film Festival will tell the story of biotech and the people we touch with a series of short films. 

What:

1. The Disorder Channel, featuring films focused on a range of conditions such as Menkes disease, Okur-Chung syndrome, Epidermolysis bullosa, and SYNGAP1, to name a few.
2. Nature’s Building Blocks, a series produced in partnership with BBC StoryWorks, with films exploring topics including why we need more choice in menopause treatment options, how patients cope with hemophilia, and how AI can help cancer doctors.

When: June 5-8, 2023, all day

Where: Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Room 105, Level 1

Watch the trailer:

President Biden’s Monday: Meeting with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, then welcoming the Kansas City Chiefs to the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl win.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: Debt ceiling crisis averted. Tomorrow, we’ll be keeping an eye on a House Small Business Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access hearing, “American Ingenuity: Promoting Innovation Through the Tax Code.” Additional hearings of note will look at IP and strategic competition with China, VA benefits claims processing, and the CDC’s mission.