The Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) Tech Hub, led by the University of Illinois, is set to play a vital role in the U.S. bioeconomy. This follows a recently released report from the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology. The report advocates for bold federal investments to secure American leadership in biotechnology and biomanufacturing.
The report, developed with input from over 1,800 stakeholders, recommends more than $15 billion in near-term funding. It also calls for the creation of a national network of manufacturing facilities. Among the 12 Tech Hubs to receive implementation funding through the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), iFAB has already secured $51 million in federal support and over $680 million in matching investments from 33 consortium partners.
Beth Conerty, iFAB’s regional innovation officer, stated that the report validates the mission of iFAB. “We aim to advance domestic biomanufacturing capabilities and strengthen U.S. economic security,” she said. iFAB is prepared to respond to the national need for biomanufacturing scale-up and workforce readiness.
A significant aspect of the EDA award will fund a $40 million expansion of the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL). This facility is the premier open-access site for scaling up biomanufacturing processes. The expansion will add thousands of liters of precision fermentation capacity, addressing the infrastructure gap between laboratory-scale research and commercial production.
The University of Illinois has developed a strong biotechnology innovation ecosystem, connecting research, commercialization, and workforce training. Susan Martinis, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, emphasized that iFAB is the outcome of extensive investment in biotechnology.
iFAB benefits from excellent access to research, agricultural feedstocks, and significant public and private investment. Despite these advantages, Conerty highlighted that the demand for U.S.-based biomanufacturing exceeds current capabilities.
The report stresses the importance of facilities like IBRL to bridge gaps and accelerate commercialization. “We have the blueprint, infrastructure, and momentum,” Conerty said. “Now, we need sustained federal partnership to realize the full potential of iFAB and IBRL for the country.”
