Tim Wira — Tim Wira introduces himself as a biotech entrepreneur with 25 years of experience and uses TIGA Therapeutics, a company he founded in 2014, as an example to frame his testimony. He then shifts into policy arguments for California, emphasizing the importance of supporting life sciences through the R&D tax credit and manufacturing incentives, noting that manufacturing makes up a substantial share of the state’s life science workforce and provides high-paying jobs for people without advanced degrees.
Mike Wira — Mike Wira is introduced as the president and CEO of California Life Sciences, then begins his remarks by thanking Chair Ward and the committee and framing his testimony around the importance of understanding the biotech industry’s successes, challenges, and the stories behind what the industry does and does not do.
Chris Ward — Addressed as Chairman Ward.
Chris Ward — Addressed by the witness in thanks for being present.
Chris Ward — Addressed as Chair Ward in the witness’s opening remarks.
Chris Ward — Addressed as Chair Ward by the witness.
Gregory Thiel — Gregory Thiel of the Biomedical Manufacturing Network is introduced as the first witness and invited to provide a broader overview of the biomedical manufacturing industry and academic sector. He is then welcomed by the committee and begins his testimony, saying he will focus on the geography of the industry and outlining three topics he plans to cover, including California's global role, industry growth, and regional microclimates.
Gregory Thiel — Referenced as having just described the biotech industry and its challenges.
Mr. Thiel — Thanked by the chair after his presentation; likely the speaker previously identified as Gregory Thiel.
Dr. Patel — Welcomed to the committee as part of the next panel.
Dr. Jackson — Welcomed to the committee as part of the next panel.
Tim Scott — Tim Scott, president and CEO of Biocom California, is introduced and then begins his presentation, saying he wants to tell a story and referencing slides as he starts his remarks about biotechnology in California.
Gregory — Thanked for prior remarks.
Dr. Thiel — Referenced as having discussed SBIR grants supporting small companies.
Chris Ward — Addressed as Chair Ward at the start of testimony.
Chris Ward — Thanked for bringing the group together.
Asher Lysak — Asher Lysak, Vice President of State Policy for Farma, testified about his background in academic research at major medical centers and used that experience to emphasize the importance of partnership between academic medicine and biopharmaceutical manufacturers, including the operational role of research administration in supporting that collaboration.
Corey Jackson — Dr. Jackson is introduced as the next committee member to ask questions and then asks the panel how long the industry can withstand federal disruption, while also noting the harm such disruption is causing to university doctoral programs.
Corey Jackson — Referenced as having asked a prior question about what else the state can do.
Mike — Referenced as having discussed university doctoral programs being cut in half.
M.D. Anderson — The witness describes their long tenure at M.D. Anderson, including a story about a patient on the institutional review board and noting that they worked there for 20 years before coming to their current role.
UNC — Referenced as another institution where the witness worked and volunteered nearby.
Mr. Guerrera — Referenced as the presenter of the slide from California Life Sciences.
Ms. Tappen — Responded that she had nothing at the moment and joked about lowering real estate prices.
Dr. Bartichari — Was identified as being at NIH and announcing that every single NIH grant would be re-evaluated.
Dr. Teresa Maldonado — Introduced as Vice President of Research and Innovation at the UC Office of the President and began testimony on federal actions affecting UC.
Dr. Teresa Maldonado — Dr. Teresa Maldonado described how UC biomedical research benefits California through commercialization and real-world innovations, citing examples such as a microbiome startup improving infant health and nutrition and UC Irvine research leading to glaucoma implants. She also emphasized that federal grant cuts would reduce opportunities for graduate student researchers, who are a key part of the UC research ecosystem. The chair then thanked her for her testimony.
Dr. Ruth O'Hara — Dr. Ruth O'Hara is introduced as the next panelist from Stanford University, then begins her testimony by greeting the committee, thanking them for the opportunity to speak, praising Dr. Maldonado's historical overview, and echoing NIH leadership's view on the importance of academic institutions.
Stanford University — Stanford University is discussed as part of California's biomedical and biotech workforce pipeline, with the added point that disrupted grants at Stanford can negatively affect 5 to 10 trainees and scientific staff per grant, underscoring Stanford's role in training and research and the harm caused by funding interruptions.
Stanford grant recipients — Described as being affected by terminated grants and facing anxiety over promotion and career development.
Dr. O'Hara — Concludes remarks about collaboration across sectors and sustaining U.S. biomedical and biotechnological research preeminence.
Janet Nguyen — Welcomed to the committee and hearing.
Dr. M. Morin — Introduced as the executive director of California State University Biotechnology (CSU Biotech) and begins testimony on federal actions affecting the CSU system.
Dr. Morin — Concludes testimony on CSU Biotech and the impact of federal actions.
Jade Faschen — Jade Faschen is introduced as the final panelist, a UCLA graduate student researcher and representative from the UC Graduate and Professional Council, then she begins her remarks by greeting the committee and starting testimony about graduate student impacts.
Jade Faschen — Jade Faschen testified about the effects of grant suspensions on students and labs, noting that contingency plans vary by graduate student, lab, and principal investigator. She then discussed the difficult and saturated job market facing recent graduate students, with uncertainty in both academic and industry paths. She concluded by urging stable funding to keep labs operating and to support researchers through scholarships, fellowships, and research opportunities, and offered to answer questions or connect the committee with additional students.
Darshana Patel — Dr. Patel is referenced for her earlier point that science builds upon itself, then is called on to speak. She asks whether available data can be disaggregated to measure the financial impact of grant suspensions on graduate students, postdocs, and biotech industry workers, and continues pressing for collection of such data to better quantify the short- and long-term costs to society.
Dr. Imu Morin — Dr. Imu Morin is referenced as supporting the argument that career setbacks compound over time, especially after years of service and investment in training pipelines.
Patricia Ardonius Kim — Executive director of the UC Graduate Professional Council; testifies in support of funding and continuity for graduate and professional students.
SB829 — The witness urges the legislature to fund and develop SB 829, described as currently in suspense due to funding.