Neal Woollen, DVM, Ph.D., MSS

Dr. Neal Woollen is Associate Executive Director for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Allied Programs at the National Strategic Research Institute at the University of Nebraska, the DOD-designated University Affiliated Research Center sponsored by U.S. Strategic Command.

Dr. Woollen guides strategic oversight for three focus areas of NSRI's research portfolio:

• Field operations and training
• Medical countermeasures
• Food, agriculture and environment security

These directorates align with the threat-specific programs that focus on countering biological, chemical, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats but are not limited to these threat areas. Each focus on readiness, response and resilience to consequences associated with these and other national security threats. 

Dr. Woollen grew up on a farm in south central Nebraska that engaged in beef cattle, swine and crop production. He served as a U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman (1975-1979) and with the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps (1994-2018). He retired from active-duty military service in May of 2018 after more than 29 years of military service.

Dr. Woollen earned his doctoral degrees in veterinary medicine and veterinary pathology from Kansas State University. He earned a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College.

Throughout the second phase of his military career, Dr. Woollen's work focused primarily on managing consequences associated with zoonotic diseases and high consequence pathogens that may cause endemic or pandemic disease, be used as biological weapons or be accidentally released from containment research operations. He is experienced in laboratory studies, field work with outbreak investigations and mobile platform diagnostics, and response to accidental and intentional release of pathogens.

During his military service Dr. Woollen served in command positions during two deployments to Kuwait and Iraq and as a WMD weapons inspector for the United Nations. Prior to military retirement he was tasked to plan, staff and execute the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Biological Select Agents and Toxins (BSAT) Biorisk Program Office, a new DOD office focused on merging the management of safety and security risks associated with BSAT across all military services. Between periods of active-duty military service Dr. Woollen engaged in production animal health research for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS). 

Highlighted Publications

• Neal E. Woollen and Gary W. Carter. "Consequence Management: The Local and National Response." In: Medical Aspects of Biological Warfare. Office of the Surgeon General Borden Institute, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. 2018.
• Samuel S. Edwin, Virginia I. Roxas-Duncan, America M. Ceralde, Shelley C. Jorgensen, and Neal E. Woollen. "Biological Surety, In: Medical Aspects of Biological Warfare." Office of the Surgeon General Borden Institute, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. 2018.
• Dragon DC, Bader DE, Mitchell J, Woollen N. "Natural dissemination of Bacillus anthracis spores in northern Canada." Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005 Mar;71(3):1610-5.
• Pavlin JA, Gilchrist MJ, Osweiler GD, Woollen N. "Diagnostic analyses of biological agent-caused syndromes: laboratory and technical assistance." Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2002 May;20(2):331-50.
• Leirs H, Mills JN, Krebs JW, Childs JE, Akaibe D, Woollen N, Ludwig G, Peters CJ, Ksiazek TG. "Search for the Ebola virus reservoir in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of the Congo: reflections on a vertebrate collection."  J Infect Dis. 1999 Feb;179 Suppl 1:S155-63.