Integrated Research Facility Leadership and Scientists

Personnel at the Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick (IRF-Frederick) work in a collaborative manner within and between teams and with external partners and affiliates.

IRF-Frederick Leadership

Connie Schmaljohn, Ph.D.

Connie Schmaljohn, Ph.D.

Credit: NIAID IRF-Frederick

Director and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

Dr. Connie Schmaljohn was selected and became director of the NIAID IRF-Frederick in November 2019. Prior to that time, she was the senior research scientist for medical defenses against infectious disease threats for the U.S. Army and directed a research program at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID).

Dr. Schmaljohn earned a B.S. degree in microbiology from the University of Nebraska and a Ph.D. in virology from Colorado State University, after which she joined USAMRIID as a National Research Council postdoctoral fellow. Her subsequent positions at USAMRIID included principal investigator and chief of molecular virology. Dr. Schmaljohn’s research background is in molecular virology and molecular vaccine development. She has served as president of the International Society of Hantaviruses, chair of the American Society for Microbiology Biodefense Conference, and chair of the International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses Bunyaviridae Study Group. She also has served on the Interagency Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasure Enterprise (PHEMCE) Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers Integrated Product Team (IPT), the Board of Scientific Counselors for the NIAID Vaccine Research Center, and the Scientific Advisory Council for the Coalition of Emergency Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). She was elected to the American Academy of Microbiology (2007) and was selected as fellow of the International Society for Vaccines (2015). She received the Order of Military Merit (2002), the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States Research Award (2002), the University of Nebraska Alumni Achievement Award (2012), and the Presidential Rank Award (2017).

As director, Dr. Schmaljohn provides overall scientific leadership to the research activities of the IRF-Frederick; oversees program operations; recommends, approves, or develops new collaborative research programs to advance medical countermeasures; allocates IRF-Frederick physical and financial resources; and recommends and implements policies for the execution of multi-disciplinary research focusing on the IRF-Frederick’s unique imaging and high containment capabilities. In addition, she serves as an expert consultant and advisor both nationally and internationally on the development of novel vaccine strategies for highly pathogenic viruses.