Antony Schwartz PhD, SM, CBSP

Dr. Antony Schwartz is currently the Director of Biological Safety at Duke University. The Biological Safety Division is in charge of the Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Program, Tuberculosis Exposure Control Program, and Environment of Care Program for the DukeUniversity Hospitals and Clinics. Dr. Schwartz also serves as the Biosafety Officer for all of Duke University and the Duke University Health System managing the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and interfacing with Duke IRB and IACUC. Additionally, Dr. Schwartz serves as the Responsible Official for the Select Agent Program and as the Institutional Contact of DualUse Research (ICDUR) for matters relating to Dual Use Research of Concern. Previously he worked at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, and served as the responsible Official for the NIH Select Agent Program. Prior to that, he worked for ProSourceConsulting, Inc. as the Associate Biosafety Officer for the NIH, an Alternate Responsible Official (ARO), and manager of the day-to-day facility maintenance activities of the maximum containment BSL4 training laboratory on the NIH Bethesda campus.

Dr. Schwartz entered the National Biosafety and Biocontainment Training Program (NBBTP) Fellowship immediately after he received his Ph.D. in Microbiology from the Department of Biological Sciences at The University of Southern Mississippi. The NBBTP Fellowship is a two-year intensive program at the nation’s foremost biomedical research center, the NIH. Fellows gain experience specifically to support highly challenging research environments by acquiring knowledge and skills necessary to meet the scientific, regulatory, biocontainment, biosafety, biosecurity, engineering, communications, management, and public relations challenges associated with the conduct of research in these facilities. Dr. Schwartz has been a member of ABSA, International since 2011 with active participation in various committees and task forces. He is the Co-Chair of the Pre-Conference Course Committee, Vice Team Lead for the Regulatory and Technical Affairs Team, and is the Co-Chair for the 1st ABSA International Biosecurity Symposium. Dr. Schwartz’s interest areas include effective biosafety program management, understanding the impact of technology on biosafety and biosecurity, and risk assessment of emerging technologies.