US vet to head HSNO

Dr Fernando Torres-Vélez is the new general manager, Hazardous Substances and New Organisms at the Environmental Protection Authority.

He replaces Dr Chris Hill who stepped down in October, and comes to the role from American Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) where he was director of the division of high-consequence pathogens and pathology at the national centre for emerging and zoonotic infectious diseases,

There, he provided executive oversight of diagnostics, medical countermeasures research, and emergency response to the most lethal viruses, bacteria, and prion diseases known.

Before joining the CDC, he led the World Health Organization (WHO) Guinea Worm eradication research agenda at The Carter Center.

This roadmap accelerated research to stop Guinea worm transmission in humans and animals in sub-Saharan Africa.

Torres-Vélez holds a Bachelor of Science in zoology from Colorado State University, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Tuskegee University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Pathology from the University of Georgia, where he also completed his residency training in veterinary anatomic pathology.

EPA chief executive Dr Allan Freeth, who himself is stepping down at the end of June, says he’s delighted about the appointment.

"Dr Torres-Vélez has extensive experience and comes to the EPA with a long and distinguished career in infectious disease research and the management of scientific programmes."