Paul Keim | Executive Director
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Science History Podcast
Episode 15. Bioterrorism
Website
Shortly after the al-Qaida terror attacks of September 11, 2001, a second wave of terror swept the United States – this time bioterrorism with anthrax mailed in letters as the weapon. Today my guest is Paul Keim, the scientist who conducted the genetic sleuthing and tracked down the source of the anthrax. Paul is the recipient of numerous scientific honors, and he is a professor of biological sciences at Northern Arizona University, where he directs the Pathogen and Microbiome Institute. In addition to the anthrax terror attacks, in today’s episode we discuss the Soviet and Iraqi anthrax weapons programs, the Haitian cholera outbreak sourced to Nepalese peacekeepers, virulent avian influenza, Scottish heroin addicts, and the Japanese doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo.
A Man of Science
A legacy of research focused on evolution.
Dr. Keim is the executive director of the Pathogen and Microbiome Institute (PMI) at Northern Arizona University (NAU), which is closely affiliated with The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) where he is a Distinguished Professor and founder of the Flagstaff unit. He directs a faculty of ~20 dedicated to using microbial analysis to improve the human condition. He was trained as a protein biochemist but moved into the realm of molecular microbiological genetics and genomics as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Utah. The broader Utah training environment included his direct mentor Dr. Gordon Lark, the chair of a department of biology that included Dr. John Roth (Salmonella genetics) and Dr. Mario Capecchi (mammalian gene knockout technology).
Much of Dr. Keim’s work relies heavily on the principles of evolutionary and ecological biology, but with translational applications in forensics, epidemiology, diagnostics, and drug discovery. His current program focuses on advanced diagnostics of infectious disease targeting both the pathogen and the host responses. This involves both genomic, proteomic, serological, and immunological analyses. He has 21 issued patents and has published >460 scientific papers, which have been cited >36,000 times with an h-index of 101. His ongoing Coccidioides research program has generated 3 issued patents, 7 peer review papers (including 1-4), and one FDA 501(k) clearance for a diagnostic test. This is the only FDA 510(k) cleared diagnostic test, which is also widely used for environmental monitoring of the fungus. His role on this project will be as the PD/PI of the overall U19 Cocci Cooperative Research Center. Over his career, he has served as PI on over 95 research grants and previously directed large RO1, U54, and U01 NIH grants and other Federal contracts. His leadership as chair of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) illustrates his ability to lead and manage large scientific endeavors. He has extensive experience as a team builder who works well across institutional barriers.
