Ryan McAllister '10 BS
Biochemistry
Nashville, TN
Dr. Ryan McAllister is a biosafety and biosecurity expert with a strong background in virology, toxicology, and high-containment research. He began his academic journey at Northern Michigan University (NMU), where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. While at NMU, he served as an organic chemistry tutor for two years, volunteered in the emergency department at Marquette General Hospital, and participated in the Big Brothers program.
Dr. McAllister pursued graduate studies at the University of Louisville (UofL), where he received a full-tuition scholarship and completed both a Master of Science and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology. Following completion of his Ph.D., he completed a biosafety fellowship within UofL's Environmental Health and Safety department. Dr. McAllister then joined Stanford University as a Biosafety Specialist and was quickly promoted to Assistant Biosafety Officer. He later served as the University Biological Safety Officer at Rutgers University for three years. In August 2025, Dr. McAllister accepted the position of Associate Director of Biological Safety and Biosafety Officer at Vanderbilt University, where he began in October 2025.
In addition to his academic and professional achievements, Dr. McAllister holds two internationally recognized biosafety credentials: Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) from the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) and Biosafety Risk Management (BRM) certification from the International Federation of Biosafety Associations (IFBA). He also consults on artificial intelligence safeguards related to chemical and biological weapons. Dr. McAllister is the author of five peer-reviewed publications. In 2024, Dr. McAllister was awarded NMU's Outstanding Young Alumni Award.