WASHINGTON - June 5, 2024 – The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) today announced the winners of the organization’s 2024 Leadership in Agri-Biotechnology Awards — honoring Dr. Annette Kleiser, CEO of Dalan Animal Health, as the recipient of the George Washington Carver Award and Sylvia Wulf, president and CEO of AquaBounty Technologies, as the recipient of the Rosalind Franklin Award. The two awards recognize biotechnology leaders who are driving cutting-edge breakthroughs in agricultural, environmental, and industrial biotechnology. “The recipients of this year’s Leadership in Agri-Biotechnology Awards both represent what’s possible through biotech innovation and how our industry is leading the way when it comes to agricultural and environmental solutions,” BIO President and CEO John F. Crowley said. “Through their commitment to strengthening our ecosystems through innovative scientific discovery, Annette and Sylvia have delivered evidence-based, market-ready products that will pave the way for future innovations and technologies to improve food security, strengthen the bioeconomy, and promote environmental sustainability around the world.”Dr. Kleiser co-founded Dalan Animal Health in 2019 to develop breakthrough vaccines for honeybees and other invertebrates. There, she helped lead the discovery and launch of the first vaccine for bees and, drawing on her skills in biotech drug development, built scientific evidence to bring the vaccine to market. Her team brings together experts from across the world to continue working on ways to apply her novel approach to other biotech solutions. Dr. Kleiser has more than 20 years of experience in business development, start-up formation, corporate strategy development, and alliance management, both in university technology transfer and the biotechnology industry, and her projects have aimed to help transition an idea from the lab to the marketplace.The George Washington Carver Award, sponsored by the Iowa…

WASHINGTON - June 4, 2024 – The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), in partnership with Korn Ferry, today released a new survey assessing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the biotechnology industry. The report, “Charting a Path to Inclusive Excellence for Biotechnology Companies,” analyzes the state of DEI in the biotechnology industry, assesses behavioral and structural practices that drive inclusive excellence at companies, and identifies areas to help guide organizations on their DEI journeys.Key findings from the report include:The vast majority (85%) of participating organizations rate DEI as an “Important,” “Very Important,” or “Critical” area of strategic focus.Most biotechnology companies are collecting information related to employee age (90%) and gender (85%) and incorporating it into HR systems, and over two-thirds (69%) are gathering data on race/ethnicity.The top response for DEI efforts (90%) is the ability to foster employee satisfaction and well-being in the workforce. When looking at the future impact of efforts, enabling business strategy increases to 47% 5 years from now.Participating organizations (94%) indicated that there has been no change, moderate, or significant increase in DEI investment over the last two years.Most participating companies (79%) indicate that active partnerships have been formed with diverse educational institutions and community and professional organizations.“The most successful companies are continuing to include DEI into their corporate strategy as a testament to the fact that DEI matters for workplace productivity and retention of the workforce,” said Elizabeth Jeffords, President & CEO of Iolyx Therapeutics and Chair of BIO’s Workforce Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work group. “When leaders invest in their companies and communities, DEI pays dividends. Findings from this report illustrate that DEI is a crucial aspect of running a successful biotechnology company and it will continue to be a…