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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

David Christian Hassell, PhD,

Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
Senior Science Advisor
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services


​Dr. David Christian “Chris” Hassell serves as the Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Senior Science Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He most recently served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Chemical and Biological Defense, where he led research, development, testing, and acquisition of technical solutions to counter chemical and biological threats.

Prior to joining the Department of Defense, Dr. Hassell was an Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), where he served as Director of the FBI Laboratory and Executive Champion for LGBT concerns. He had previously held research and leadership positions at Los Alamos National Laboratory and DuPont.

Dr. Hassell is an analytical chemist with specialization in sensors, diagnostics and bioprocessing, and is a Fellow of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy. He is a recipient of the Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service (US) and the Médaille de la Défense Nationale (France). 		Picture of Dr. Chris Hassell

  • This page last reviewed: March 16, 2021