Biological Relocation Solutions (BioRelo) utilizes custom-engineered trucks, specialized equipment, industry expertise and strategic partnerships to safely transport temperature-controlled biological materials and chemicals.
How did BioRelo begin and how has it evolved?
GM: I moved to the United States from the country of Georgia in the 1990s. While studying medicine, I shifted my focus toward biology and chemistry. Around 2008, I was responsible for managing and overseeing biobank operations for Alan Davis, an extraordinary mentor whose vision played a major role in shaping the standards and operational philosophy we follow today.
Around the same time, I met Dan Wassung, my business partner, who specialized in transporting scientific materials. In 2015, I founded Lab Vendor, a company focused on building and operating biobanks while distributing scientific equipment. Dan and I collaborated for years before launching BioRelo in 2020 to address the growing need for specialized biological transportation.
We designed our custom trucks with Harold Martini, a Mack dealer based in Corpus Christi, Texas. These vehicles are essentially state-of-the-art mobile biobanks built with multiple layers of redundancy because equipment failures can happen and a single backup is never enough. Each truck is equipped with four generators powering onboard refrigerators, freezers and liquid nitrogen systems. After receiving the chassis, it takes approximately six to eight months to complete each build. Dan and I personally traveled to Texas during the pandemic to pick up the first truck and drive it back ourselves. I still remember stopping at a barbecue restaurant along the way. Dan got food poisoning and thought he had COVID, leaving us stranded together in the truck.
What specialized services does BioRelo provide?
GM: BioRelo specializes in transporting biological materials across all required temperature ranges. We hold a special permit from the Department of Transportation to carry various hazardous materials including United Nations Category A and Category B infectious material. We work with leading biotech and pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and hospitals across the U.S. and parts of Canada.
Our mission is to ensure that every product arrives in the exact condition in which it left. We safeguard decades of scientific research, including stem cells, blood products, reproductive materials, vaccines and cellular therapy products. When we transport clinical material such as cellular therapy products, we help protect the lives of the patients who depend on them. And when we transport embryos, we safeguard the hopes and futures of lives yet to begin.
As anyone familiar with chemistry understands, incompatible materials can create serious hazards and highly reactive substances often require strict temperature controls. Our insulated trucks are capable of cooling the cargo area to temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius when required. In addition, we transport materials within dedicated temperature-controlled equipment, including refrigerators maintained at 4 degrees Celsius, mechanical freezers operating at minus 20, minus 40 and minus 80 degrees Celsius, as well as liquid nitrogen freezers capable of maintaining specimens at minus 196 degrees C in either vapor-phase or liquid-phase storage conditions.
How do you maintain reliability and safety?
DW: George and I spent a great deal of time evaluating vehicle configurations before deciding to use 24-foot straight trucks instead of 53-foot trailers, particularly for dense urban environments. During a recent laboratory relocation from San Diego to New York City, BioRelo delivered freezers at multiple temperatures directly to the laboratory so materials could be transferred immediately into preconditioned units. Because the facility lacked a loading dock, we coordinated access through a neighboring building and transported equipment through a courtyard. Our truck configuration allows us to position vehicles close to facilities, minimizing the amount of time freezers remain unplugged.
GM: We constantly balance operational efficiency with safety, which remains our highest priority. We evaluate not only ambient outdoor temperatures, but also the thermal load generated by the cold storage units. Some mechanical freezers produce significant heat that must be offset by high-capacity refrigeration systems. Our cooling systems operate independently from both the truck engine and generators. As a result, even if we are crossing the Mojave Desert in extreme heat and encounter heavy traffic or an accident, the generators continue operating without interruption.
The relationships we have built with clients and suppliers are equally important. We have worked with Airgas, one of the world’s largest liquid nitrogen suppliers, since 2009. Through that partnership, we maintain 24/7 access to both regular and medical-grade nitrogen at locations across the U.S.
How do you monitor relocations?
GM: Our specialized trucks, validated operating procedures, insurance coverage specifically designed to protect not only the cold storage equipment but also the valuable biological materials within, and most importantly, our highly trained personnel, all play a critical role in ensuring the safety, security, and reliability of every shipment we transport. Our fleet management team can track the exact location of every truck and every sample being transported in real time. Artificial intelligence is another area we continue exploring to improve predictive analytics and communication capabilities.
DW: Before accepting any chemical shipment, our chemists identify, segregate and package materials according to hazard classifications, United Nations standards and Department of Transportation regulations. For larger projects, we place chemists on-site to oversee every phase of the operation. Independent temperature probes are placed inside each freezer and refrigerator, allowing drivers to monitor temperatures continuously through dashboard displays. Our systems also include cameras, audio alarms and visual alerts that immediately identify any deviation from required parameters. Every minute of transport data is continuously recorded and made available to our customers.
What are your goals for growth?
GM: We are expanding our services to support government agencies, including the Departments of Defense and Agriculture. Industries such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and data centers are clearly shaping the future, and our ability to transport products at virtually any temperature anywhere in the U.S. positions us well to serve those markets.
We strongly support American manufacturing and jobs, which is why most of our equipment is assembled in the U.S. At the same time, we recognize growing international opportunities. We have already been approached regarding projects in Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom. As a U.S.-based company, we can transport materials into and out of Canada, although both the origin and destination cannot currently be located within Canada.
Scientific research, laboratory operations and innovation extend far beyond borders. If there is a market need, we want to help meet it. Race car driver Mario Andretti once said, “If everything seems under control, you are not going fast enough.” We embrace that mindset and are willing to step outside our comfort zone to pursue new opportunities and ideas.
