Executive Profiles

Dr. Joseph Patrick Fitch
Laboratory Director and President of BNBI

As Laboratory Director and President of BNBI Dr. Fitch will guide NBACC in the execution of its mission to protect human health and agriculture against biological terrorism by improving understanding of potential bioterrorism threats. Dr. Fitch comes to NBACC with more than 20 years of experience leading multidisciplinary applied science teams of biologists, veterinarians, physicians, engineers, physicists, chemist, and computer scientists. He has created or significantly expanded programs in biology, medicine, and digital systems as well as managed the start-up of new organizations and facilities for DNA sequencing, pathogen biology, bioengineering, microfabrication, computing, and remote sensing.

Education:
Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, Purdue University
B.S, Physics/Engineering Sciences, Loyola College

Dr. Michael R. Kuhlman
Associate Laboratory Director, National Biological Threat Characterization Center (NBTCC)

The National Biological Threat Characterization Center(NBTCC) led by Dr. Kuhlman will characterize existing biological threats, anticipate future threats, and conduct comprehensive risk assessments to anticipate, prevent, respond to, and recover from an attack through the establishment of an integrated science-based program.

Dr. Kuhlman's most recent experience includes managing Battelle's Aerosol and Process Technologies Product Line, where he directed the activities of a multidisciplinary group of 111 life scientists, aerosol physicists, chemists, and engineers that is recognized as one the nations premier resources for research in biological threat characterization.

Education:
Ph.D., Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina
M.S.P.H., Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina

Dr. James Burans
Associate Laboratory Director, National Biodefense Forensic Analysis Center (NBFAC)

In this role Dr. Burans will lead the National Bioforensic Analysis Center (NBFAC) in support of DHS by coordinating, directing and conducting bioforensic analysis of samples connected with a planned or actual biological attack to develop data for use in assigning attribution, which will prevent biological attacks or enable prosecution.

Dr. Burans served as the founding director the National Bioforensic Analysis Center and will lead NBFAC with BNBI. Throughout his distinguished 24-year military career with the Navy, he has been in the forefront of the rapid diagnostic assay development techniques to identify and characterize biological threat agents and environmental/chemical samples both nationally and internationally.

Education:
Ph.D., Molecular Pathogenic Microbiology, Rutgers University
M.S., Pathogenic Microbiology, Rutgers University