Toggle – Joshua Turse

Dr. Joshua E. Turse is the Director of Research Safety at Cornell University Environment, Health and Safety, where he oversees a broad research safety program spanning biosafety, chemical safety, radiation safety, and field research compliance across a multi-campus enterprise. He serves as Cornell’s Select Agent Responsible Official, supporting an active research portfolio across the university. Dr. Turse’s path into biosafety began as a graduate student at Texas A&M University, where his doctoral research on Brucella melitensis required BSL-3 containment and was directly shaped by the emergence of the USA PATRIOT Act and the Federal Select Agent Rules — an experience that gave him an early appreciation for the intersection of rigorous science and regulatory responsibility. He went on to complete postdoctoral training in proteomics at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and continued publishing on bacterial pathogens, proteomics, and immunity before turning his focus toward biorisk management, IBC governance, and biosafety program design. Today, his work centers on translating federal regulatory requirements — including the NIH Guidelines, CDC/APHIS Select Agent regulations, and the OSHA Laboratory Standard — into practical, risk-based programs that support meaningful research rather than simply constrain it. Dr. Turse believes that effective biosafety is built on commonsense application of sound principles, clear communication across institutional partners, and a commitment to enabling the research enterprise safely and responsibly.