AAU submitted comments in response to the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) request for information on strengthening the U.S. bioeconomy which OSTP defines as “the infrastructure, innovation, products, technology, and data derived from biologically-related processes and science that drive economic growth, promote health, and increase public benefit." AAU's responses to the request are rooted in our universities' decades-long experience conducting federally funded basic research, the bedrock of discovery which leads to translation, product development, and commercialization critical to making the U.S. the world leader in innovation.