Susan Harper, D.V.M., M.S., DACLAM

Deputy Director

Dr. Susan Harper joined the OACU in 2022. Prior to joining the OACU, she served as a special scientific advisor at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, MD. She earned her B.S. in agriculture at West Virginia University and a D.V.M. at Louisiana State University, and started her professional career in food animal medicine. She practiced for 8 years before enrolling in a post-doctoral residency and Master’s degree program at the Penn State University College of Medicine, where she continued to serve as an assistant professor for 2 years following graduation. She left academia to pursue a career with the federal government and has served in a variety of research, clinical, policy, and regulatory roles at NIH, FDA, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and USDA. Dr. Harper has achieved board certification in the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine and the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, and certification as a registered biosafety professional through the American Biological Safety Association. She also serves on AAALAC Council, the National Research Council Standing Committee for the Care and Use of Animals in Research, and is an active member of numerous scientific and professional organizations associated with veterinary medicine, laboratory animal welfare, research safety, and biosecurity.

This page was last updated on Friday, May 5, 2023