Dick Weller Email and Phone Number

Dr. Weller is a biological security subject matter expert with long involvement in US Government contract research – proposing, organizing, managing, and evaluating programs and assessing technologies associated with national security-related matters. Prior to retiring in 2014, Dr. Weller was a Senior Program Manager in the Biological Sciences Division at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where he was involved in the development and execution of several programs focused on biological threat reduction. Starting in 1996 he provided technical assistance to the Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Interagency Working Group (IWG) on matters related to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), in particular, disease surveillance, unusual disease outbreaks, zoonoses, biosecurity, animal and plant diseases, and DOE biotechnology assets. He also served as Deputy Program Manager for the DOE Global Initiatives for Proliferation Program at PNNL where he was responsible for a biotechnology/biomedical portfolio containing over 10 projects involving many former WMD (CBW) scientists in Russian, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Georgia, Tajikistan and Armenia. Later work focused on developing diagnostic and therapeutic technologies for biological defense applications in the fields of human and veterinary public health and agricultural terrorism. He supported DOE’s INECP program as a certified instructor and subject-matter-expert on chemical and biological weapons dual-use materials and equipment for workshops focused on training international customs and border security agents. Just prior to retirement, he led a team of PNNL SMEs that supported DTRA CBEP programs in Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Tanzania, providing training in veterinary medicine, disease surveillance, epidemiology, vector surveillance and grant writing. Dr Weller recently provided technical support to the DTRA Science and Technology Engagement Program (STEP) in Georgia.

Medical professional and program manager with 34 years experience in the development and deployment of innovative biomedical technologies. Most recent focus has been on diagnostic and therapeutic technologies for biological defense applications in the fields of human and veterinary public health and agroterrorism. In addition, I have spent considerable effort in dual-use technology conversion, technology transfer and commercialization of former Soviet Union (FSU) chemical and biological weapons expertise via contractual agreements with United States (US) companies. This includes biological detection technologies for select agents and toxins, diagnostic reagents for human, animal and plant pathogens (i.e., monoclonal antibodies and purified antigens), novel vaccine constructs for Hepatitis C, humanized antibodies for treatment of immune-mediated diseases, enzyme inhibitors for treatment of drug-resistant malaria, and bioactive garlic components as anti-cancer drugs. I have also provided policy and technical support to the US Department of Energy and US Interagency on matters related to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention as well as on technical issues such as disease surveillance, zoonotic diseases, animal and plant pathogens, biosafety, biosecurity, export controls, regional security and nonproliferation strategies. I have prepared technical analyses of BW threats posed by advances in science and technology, FSU institutes and programs, and listed human, animal and plant pathogens. Currently holds several US patents and has authored or co-authored over 250 articles, technical reports, book chapters, and presentations in his fields of expertise.

Served as principle investigator and coordinator for several national and international programs. Served as technical advisor to U. S. delegations to the Ad Hoc Group of States Parties to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) to craft a legally binding instrument to strengthen the BTWC. Principle investigator for DOE’s Global Initiatives for Proliferation Program at PNNL. Managed a portfolio containing 10 projects involving many former WMD scientists from the former Soviet Union.

Served as principle investigator and research scientist. Chief veterinarian for lifespan studies designed to determine the effects of internally deposited radionuclides. Was responsible for data collection and analysis of health effects and clinico-pathologic findings. Principle investigator for PNNL’s role in a U. S. Agency for International Development malaria vaccine project that utilized several species of neotropical primates and included the Centers for Disease Control as well several universities and leading research institutes in its network.