SPADA

Dr. Victoria Olson

Microbiologist

United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CHAIR, SPADA VARIOLA WORKING GROUP

Victoria Olson obtained her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2001.

Her dissertation focused on understanding transcriptional regulation by the baculovirus

Autographa

californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus

immediate early protein (IE1). Dr. Olson then joined the

Poxvirus Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an Oak Ridge Institute for Science

and Education postdoctoral fellow in 2002. Her postdoctoral research focused on understanding how

Orthopoxviruses

interact with their hosts. While studying

Orthopoxviruses

, Dr. Olson completed training

and certification for work at multiple biosafety levels, including work with

variola virus

within the

Biosafety level 4 laboratories. In 2008, Dr. Olson became lead of the Virus-Host Molecular Interactions

Unit within the Poxvirus Team at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She supervises 4

masters-level researchers, 1 post-doctorate, 1 veterinarian, and 1 technician. The Virus-Host Molecular

Interactions Unit focuses on research aimed at understanding how

Orthopoxviruses

interact with their

hosts and what measures are effective at abrogating disease progression and mitigating morbidity.

Since 2005, Dr. Olson has been closely involved in the validation of real-time PCR diagnostic assays for

use in clinical settings, with particular focus on obtaining regulatory approvals. During her 12 years

within the Poxvirus Team, she has contributed to some 39 peer-reviewed publications.

David Wagner, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences

Associate Director, Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics

Northern Arizona University

SPADA F. TULARENSIS WORKING GROUP CO-CHAIR

Dave Wagner has been working with dangerous pathogens, including

Bacillus anthracis

Yersinia pestis

Francisella tularensis

, and

Burkholderia pseudomallei

, in field and laboratory settings since 1999. He is

the Associate Director of the Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics at NAU, which employs more

than 60 faculty, staff, and students. Dr. Wagner has established research collaborations around the

world, including

F. tularensis

research in Europe and Asia and

Y. pestis

research in Africa, Asia, Europe,

and South America, among many others. His is broadly interested in the evolutionary history,

phylogeography, and ecology of infectious disease agents.