Academic Enterprise Announcements

Dear colleagues, 

I am pleased to announce that Alexander N. Freiberg, PhD, has accepted the role of Associate Director of the Galveston National Laboratory (GNL) at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), effective March 1, 2026.

Dr. Freiberg is a Professor in the Department of Pathology in the John Sealy School of Medicine and serves as Director of the Robert E. Shope BSL-4 Laboratory at UTMB. Since joining UTMB as faculty in 2009, he has built an internationally recognized research program focused on host-pathogen interactions and disease mechanisms of emerging and reemerging RNA viruses, including filoviruses, henipaviruses, bunyaviruses, and arenaviruses. His work integrates molecular virology, animal models, and advanced imaging approaches to better understand pathogenesis and to guide development of vaccines and therapeutics.

Dr. Freiberg is deeply engaged in UTMB biodefense and infectious disease research. He is a member of the Institutional Biosafety Committee, the Biocontainment Risk Assessment Committee, and multiple institutional research initiatives including the Institute for Human Infections and Immunity and the Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences. His research has been supported by NIH/NIAID, the Department of Defense, CEPI, and industry partners, and includes work on medical countermeasures, vaccine development, and animal model systems for high-consequence pathogens.

In addition to his research contributions, Dr. Freiberg is a dedicated educator and mentor, teaching in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and mentoring numerous graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty. He is also an active contributor to national and international scientific review panels and professional societies.

In his new role as Associate Director of the GNL, Dr. Freiberg will work closely with GNL leadership to advance the laboratory’s research mission, strengthen high-containment scientific programs, and support national biodefense priorities. His responsibilities will include fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, enhancing research capabilities in maximum containment, and supporting the safe and effective execution of critical infectious disease and medical countermeasure research.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Freiberg on this well-deserved appointment and welcoming him to this important leadership position within the Galveston National Laboratory and UTMB.