National Academies Press: OpenBook

Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System: Proceedings of a Workshop (2018)

Chapter: Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Planning Committee

« Previous: Appendix B: Workshop Agenda
Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Planning Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25014.
×

Appendix C

Biographical Sketches of Planning Committee

Adel A. F. Mahmoud, M.D., Ph.D. (Chair), is a professor in molecular biology and public policy at Princeton University. He is a leading expert on vaccine development and infectious diseases in the developing world with awards and recognitions in tropical medicine and infectious diseases research and international health policy. Dr. Mahmoud previously served as President of Merck Vaccines and Management Committee member for Merck Company, and Chairman of Medicine and Physician in Chief at Case Western University School of Medicine and University Hospitals of Cleveland. Dr. Mahmoud’s academic pursuits focused on investigations of host resistance to helminthic infections and strategies for their control. At Merck, Dr. Mahmoud led the effort to develop four new vaccines, including combination of measles, mumps, rubella and varicella; Rota virus; shingles, and human papillomavirus. Dr. Mahmoud received his M.D. degree from the University of Cairo in 1963 and Ph.D. from the University of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 1971. He was elected to membership of the National Academy of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 1987. He received the Bailey K. Ashford Award of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in 1983, and the Squibb Award of the Infectious Diseases Society of America in 1984. He served on the National Advisory Allergy and Infectious Diseases Council and the Fogarty Advisory Council, and is a past president of the Central Society for Clinical Research and the International Society for Infectious Diseases. He co-chaired the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Science and Technology in the Department of State. Dr. Mahmoud is currently serving as Chairman of the Board of the International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, South Korea.

Bruce Budowle, Ph.D., is the director of the University of North Texas Health Science Center’s Center for Human Identification and a professor at the university. Dr. Budowle joined the Health Science Center in 2009, bringing expertise in the areas of forensic genetics and counterterrorism, primarily in identification of victims from mass disasters and microbial forensics. Prior to joining the Health Science Center, Dr. Budowle spent 26 years at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Washington, DC, and Quantico, Virginia. He was a principal advisor in efforts to identify victims from the World Trade Center attack in 2001 and helped establish a mitochondrial DNA sequencing program to enable

Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Planning Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25014.
×

high-throughput sequencing of human remains. Dr. Budowle’s commitment to helping families resolve missing persons cases led him to Fort Worth after a lifetime in the Virginia/Washington, DC, area in order to collaborate with Health Science Center researchers and advance the knowledge and use of forensics and DNA to improve health and safety.

John D. Clements, Ph.D., is a professor and the chair of Microbiology and Immunology at the Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr. Clements’s research program focuses on development of vaccines against infectious diseases. In 2002, Dr. Clements chaired the committee to review all military infectious disease research programs for the Department of Defense. Dr. Clements trained as a United Nations Weapons Inspector (UNMOVIC) and served as a member of the Iraq Survey Group in Baghdad as a subject matter expert in weapons of mass destruction and dual-use equipment and programs in 2003 and again in 2004. Dr. Clements was formerly a member of the Armed Forces Epidemiology Board and the Public Health Subcommittee of the Defense Health Board. In 2009, Dr. Clements was a member of the National Academy of Sciences committee on biosafety and personnel reliability in laboratories that conduct research of biological select agents and toxins. From 2010 to 2012, he served as a member of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee H1N1 Vaccine Safety Risk Assessment Working Group. In 2011, Dr. Clements became a member of the National Academy of Sciences committee on developing a framework for an international faculty development project on education about research in the life sciences with dual-use potential. He subsequently participated in two international workshops in support of this committee, including the Education Institute for Responsible Research on Infectious Diseases, Aqaba, Jordon (2012), and the Educational Institute of Responsible Science, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2013). In 2013, Dr. Clements chaired a National Academy of Sciences international workshop on Science Needs for Microbial Forensics: Developing an Initial International Roadmap in Zagreb, Croatia. Dr. Clements is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He served on active duty from 1966 to 1972 and in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves from 1972 to 1991. He was honorably discharged at the rank of lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves in 1991.

David W. Cullin, Ph.D., graduated with a B.S. in chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in 1984. He proceeded to The Ohio State University and earned a master’s degree (1988) and a Ph.D. (1991) in physical chemistry. His dissertation focused on high-resolution spectroscopy of substituted cyclopentadienyl radicals–gas-phase spectroscopic studies of the electronic spectroscopy of jet-cooled radical species. After receiving his Ph.D., Dr. Cullin began a 15-year career as a civilian employee with the U.S. Department of Defense working as a researcher with the U.S. Navy (Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, in Dahlgren, Virginia), a program manager at the Joint Program Office for Biological Defense, and finally as the director of technology at the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense. In

Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Planning Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25014.
×

those capacities, Dr. Cullin worked on and was responsible for the development, manufacture, and deployment of many different systems designed to counter chemical and biological threats. In December of 2005, Dr. Cullin left federal service and assumed a position as the senior vice president for technology transition at ICx Technologies (ICxT). In this capacity, Dr. Cullin was responsible for ICxT federal agency interactions, federal government program development, product development, and integration of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives detection. ICx Technologies was acquired by FLIR systems in October of 2010 and Dr. Cullin assumed the position as the Chief Technology Officer for FLIR Government Systems. In February 2014, Dr. Cullin assumed his current position as the Vice President of R&D and Programs for FLIR Detection. In this capacity he is responsible for development of new product technologies and their application to U.S. government programs.

Norman Kahn, Ph.D., currently is the president and principal of Counter-Bio LLC, providing consulting services on national security issues with particular emphasis on weapons of mass destruction and biological weapons. He served at the Central Intelligence Agency from 1982 to 2014, including directing the Intelligence Community’s Counter-Biological Weapons Program from 2001 to 2013. The program, which he created, was recognized in 2010 as the cornerstone of the Intelligence Community’s efforts to counter the threat posed by biological weapons. As director, he changed the focus of the Intelligence Community’s resource allocation directed against this threat and greatly expanded the scope of bioweapons collection and analysis across both the Intelligence Community and the broader U.S. government. To address critical scientific research gaps related to biological weapons, he assembled an interagency effort with participation by senior leadership at 11 key scientific and national security agencies, including, for example, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dr. Kahn holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the City College of New York and a Ph.D. in oceanography from the University of Rhode Island.

Grace Kubin, Ph.D., is the director of the Laboratory Services Section of the Department of State Health Services in Austin, Texas. In this role, she oversees activities of the Lab Operations and Quality Control Units and South Texas Health branch and also serves as the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments director for both the Austin and South Texas laboratories. She previously served as the laboratory operations unit director (2010-2011) and emergency preparedness branch manager (2007-2010) for the Department of State Health Services. She is a member of the Association of Public Health Laboratories Board of Directors and Public Health Preparedness and Response Committee and has served as a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Association of Public Health Laboratories Laboratory Efficiencies Initiatives Workgroups on Harmonization of Platforms, 2012; Sharing of Test Services Policy Guide, 2012; and

Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Planning Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25014.
×

Public Health Laboratory Data Management Tool, 2012; as well as chair of the Laboratory Response Network National Conference Planning Committee, 2012. Dr. Kubin has received honors including the Emerging Leader Award from the Association of Public Health Laboratories (2009) and the Charles E. Sweet Award for Excellence in Leadership from the Department of State Health Services (2009). She received her M.A. in microbiology and Ph.D. in biological sciences from the University of Texas at Austin.

Fred M. Rosa, Jr., is the senior advisor for Homeland Security at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. In addition to his current role with Johns Hopkins APL, Fred Rosa is a senior fellow with the Center for Cyber and Homeland Security at George Washington University and a member of the board of directors for the Common Defense. He also served previously as a seminar co-presenter for the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, a joint undertaking of the Kennedy School of Government and the Harvard School of Public Health. A U.S. Armed Forces veteran with extensive operational, emergency response, and national security policy experience, Rear Admiral Rosa’s military career culminated as Commander of the Fifth Coast Guard District headquartered in Portsmouth, Virginia. Prior to the Fifth District assignment, he was Deputy Director for Coast Guard Intelligence and Criminal Investigations in Washington, DC. He also served at the White House on the National Security Council staff during two successive administrations in several different capacities, including Director of the International Crime Group and Special Assistant to the President for Border and Transportation Security. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Fred Rosa received a B.S. from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut; an M.A. from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut; a J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in West Hartford, Connecticut; and a diploma from the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

Tom Slezak is a computer scientist who has been supporting biological research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) since 1978. He was part of the Human Genome Program for 14 years, and was a developer of the nationwide BioWatch system. Since 2000 Mr. Slezak’s team has developed polymerase chain reaction assays, pan-microbial microarrays (recently commercialized by Affymetrix), and DNA sequence analysis software to support a broad range of pathogen detection and forensic programs in biodefense and human and animal health. He has chaired two major NIAID sequencing center and infectious disease center proposal reviews. He has served on four National Academies panels on biodefense topics and for 3 years on the National Research Council Department of Defense Standing Committee on Biodefense programs. In 2011, Mr. Slezak co-chaired a Blue Ribbon Panel on bioinformatics for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that led to new funding for the Advanced Molecular Detection program. Mr. Slezak was the first computer scientist at LLNL to be named a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Planning Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25014.
×

Colin Stimmler is the director of the Biodetection Preparedness and Response Unit at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH), within the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response. He coordinates preparedness and planning activities around the detection of biological threat agents (BTAs) including BioWatch, Biological Detection System, and suspicious substance incidents. He is also the agency’s official liaison to the New York City BioWatch Stakeholder Group. He has represented NYC DOHMH on numerous BioWatch national workgroups and focus groups, including presenting at the Institute of Medicine workshop Strategies for Cost-effective and Flexible Biodetection Systems that Ensure Timely and Accurate Information for Public Health Officials in June 2013. Mr. Stimmler and his unit are also responsible for the development of environmental sampling strategies, including the agency’s Environmental Sampling Plan for BTA incidents. Through their efforts, DOHMH has been working with local, state, and federal partners to develop scientifically sound sampling strategies, experimenting with new sampling methodologies, and attempting to operationalize those plans and protocols through multiagency full-scale exercises. In addition, he oversees the agency’s planning around biological remediation for BTA incidents. The Biodetection Unit has recently completed, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a first draft of their joint Bio Remediation Plan. This first-of-its-kind plan represents the collective wisdom of multiple agencies and experts from across the country, and tackles seemingly intractable problems related to how a jurisdiction as complex as NYC can clean up and remediate following a wide-area incident. Mr. Stimmler has a master’s degree in international political economy and development from Fordham University and is a former Peace Corps Volunteer, having spent 2 years in Nepal.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Planning Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25014.
×
Page 96
Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Planning Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25014.
×
Page 97
Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Planning Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25014.
×
Page 98
Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Planning Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25014.
×
Page 99
Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Planning Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25014.
×
Page 100
Next: Appendix D: Biographical Sketches of Workshop Speakers »
Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System: Proceedings of a Workshop Get This Book
×
Buy Paperback | $65.00 Buy Ebook | $54.99
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

BioWatch is the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) system for detecting an aerosolized biological attack using collectors that are positioned strategically across the country to continuously monitor the air for biological threats. As currently deployed, BioWatch collectors draw air through filters that field technicians collect daily and transport to laboratories, where professional technicians analyze the material collected on the filter for evidence of biological threats.

As part of the BioWatch program’s efforts to enhance its effectiveness and capabilities, particularly with regard to detecting biological threats in challenging indoor environments, DHS requested the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hold a workshop to explore alternative and effective biodetection systems for aerosolized biological agents that would meet BioWatch’s technical and operational requirements, integrate into the existing system architecture and public health infrastructure, and be deployable by 2027. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    Switch between the Original Pages, where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  9. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!