Rick A. Bright, Ph.D. is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and the Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), which is a component of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He oversees the advanced development and procurement of medical countermeasures against an array of threats to national security and the public’s health, including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear threats and pandemic influenza, and emerging infectious diseases. Dr. Bright serves as an international subject matter expert in vaccine, drug and diagnostics development and has served as an advisor to the World Health Organization and the United States Department of Defense. Dr. Bright joined BARDA in 2010, and prior to becoming Director in late 2016, he served as Director of the BARDA’s Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases Division. Dr. Bright received his Ph.D. in Immunology and Virology from Emory University and his B.S. in Biology and Physical Sciences from Auburn University.