Black pioneers and current leaders in biotech
By Dr. Willis H. Thomas
JA Business Correspondent
BOSTON – BioProcess International (BPI) held its September 2026 conference in Boston.
BPI’s international scope underscores and demonstrates how the biotechnology industry connects scientists, disciplines, institutions, and countries. During the conference, discussions about biologics manufacturing, cell and gene therapies, regulatory strategy, and digital technologies reflect challenges extending across borders. Moving a treatment forward requires coordination among researchers, manufacturers, suppliers, educators, and regulatory professionals, often working simultaneously in different parts of the world.
This global perspective also highlights the importance of workforce preparation and knowledge transfer. Organizations must communicate technical requirements across locations, prepare people to apply consistent procedures, and maintain dependable quality practices. These needs came into sharp focus during September’s BPI conference and other Biotech Week Boston events.
The challenges encountered by this industry provide a broader context for recognizing both Black scientific pioneers and current leaders developing the talent and operational systems supporting the biotechnology industry’s future. Among the week’s events was an informative setting recognizing some of these pioneers and showing how contemporary leaders in this industry are helping shape the future by writing essential parts of the next chapter.
Black Pioneers:
Black scientists, researchers, educators, entrepreneurs, clinicians, and professionals – past and present – have made and continue to make significant contributions to biotechnology, biomedical science, medical innovation, the workforce, and systems. Among the thousands of these pioneers are:
• Dr. Patricia Bath (invented Laserphaco, a device and technique for cataract surgery, and developed community ophthalmology to address preventable blindness which helped broaden equitable access to care)
• Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire (helped lead NIH research contributing to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, working with a larger scientific collaboration on vaccine innovation and public health)
• Dr. Marie Maynard Daly (conducted research on cholesterol, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, showing the importance of biochemistry in understanding disease)
• Dr. Charles Richard Drew (helped develop and organize large-scale blood banking, illustrating the importance of preservation, processing, and distribution – not simply discovery – in saving lives)
• Dr. William Augustus Hinton (developed the Hinton diagnostic test for syphilis, widely used in public health)
• Dr. Lynda Jordan (pioneered the isolation of calcium-dependent and calcium-independent high-molecular-weight forms of the human enzyme phospholipase A2 (PLA2), contributing to the understanding of human biology; she also developed science curricula and mentored future scientists, educators, and physicians, connecting discovery with the development of people capable of carrying science and patient care forward)
• Dr. Percy Lavon Julian (pioneered the synthesis of physostigmine and developed work supporting commercially viable production of cortisone, showing how chemistry can make medicines production more practical, connecting laboratory discovery with pharmaceutical manufacturing)
• Dr. Ernest Everett Just (advanced understanding of fertilization, embryonic development, and the cell surface, linking foundational biological discoveries and biotechnology)
• Dr. Vivien Thomas (pioneered experimental work in cardiac surgery with Alfred Blalock and colleagues; she also trained and mentored generations of surgeons and laboratory staff)
• Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr. (performed the world’s first human implantation of an automatic implantable defibrillator in 1980, and championed diversity in medicine, connecting medical device innovation with leadership and opportunity)
• Dr. Jane Cooke Wright (evaluated anticancer agents, studied relationships between tissue-culture responses and patient responses, and developed techniques for administering chemotherapy, advancing cancer treatment through research and moving experimental approaches toward clinical application).
Writing the
Next Chapter:
From laboratory discoveries to workforce opportunity and quality systems, Black leadership continues to contribute to the world’s biomedical future. These leaders are shaping the future by helping to write the next chapter. Among these current leaders are Dr. Emmanuel Baisie and Joshua Pierce.
Baisie and Pierce are working in different fields from the scientists whose discoveries changed medicine. Their contributions can be recognized on their own terms: strengthening the systems supporting reliable operations and expanding access to careers.
Dr. Emmanuel Baisie, President and CEO of ASC Group, addresses a key requirement for continued development of the biotechnology industry, doing so by helping organizations perform and document their work consistently. Baisie works within the broader infrastructure supporting scientific activity.
ASC Group developed SeeSOR®, a quality management and inspection platform. The company describes capabilities that include inspection scheduling, corrective actions, reporting, and performance dashboards, alongside tools supporting environmental health and safety work. Its digital quality tools help organizations manage inspections, follow corrective actions, and preserve evidence for review.
Joshua Pierce is the founder and CEO of Dream Opportunity. Pierce is strengthening operations beyond innovation by opening pathways into the biotechnology industry. Pierce’s work broadens participation in industries requiring specialized talent.
Dream Opportunity describes its mission as connecting under-resourced students with professional careers through relationships with companies and employees. Its programs include career exposure, workshops, mentoring, and collaboration with talent acquisition teams to create access to internships, apprenticeships, and entry-level employment.
Publisher’s Note: Willis H. Thomas, Ph.D. has decades of experience working in the pharmaceutical industry. His areas of expertise include regulatory compliance management and meta-evaluation of complex systems. For additional details about his award-winning book and an extensive collection of free information providing step-by-step practical project management and project evaluation guidance, please visit www.lessonslearned.info
