About

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Harris works in the Office of Science Policy (OSP), Division of Biosafety, Biosecurity and Emerging Biotechnology Policy at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). For over 20 years she has worked to develop national and regional programs of stakeholder relations, education, and outreach strategies relevant to the oversight of research with recombinant and synthetic nucleic acid molecules and research that has dual use potential. She also advises on biosafety and biosecurity policy and regulatory issues.

Prior to joining OSP she was the Biological Safety Officer at Northwestern University. Dr. Harris is Registered Biosafety Professional and a member of the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA). She was a founding member and first president of the Midwest Area Biosafety Network (MABioN). She received her Ph.D. from Cornell University and completed two years of postdoctoral training at Washington University in St Louis. Dr. Harris was the 2019 recipient of the ABSA Arnold G. Wedum Distinguished Achievement Award, for outstanding contributions to biological safety accomplished through teaching, research, service, and leadership.