Farhang Alem works as Interim Director of the Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (BRL) and leads a team of operations, facilities, and research staff and works in collaboration with GMU’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety and Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (animal care). He earned his B.S. in Biology from Mary Washington University and PhD in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases from George Mason University. He brings over 18 years of experience in biomedical research with a focus on immunology and infectious diseases. This includes 10 years working in the high containment in GMU’s regional biocontainment laboratory, designated as the Biomedical Research Laboratory (BRL). Through his research, he evaluates mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions during infection and tests vaccines and therapeutics in development using live animal models of infection. He has experience working with several infectious agents in vitro and in vivo including parasites (Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Heligmosomoides polygyrus), bacteria (Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Burkholderia psuedomalei, Francisella tularensis, Brucella abortus), and viruses Bunyaviridae (RVFV), Togaviridae (VEEV, EEV, CHIKV), and Coronaviridae (SARS-CoV2).