Robert Buchanan received his B.S, M.S. M.Phil, and Ph.D. degrees in Food Sciences from Rutgers University, and post-doctoral training in mycotoxicology at the University of Georgia. Dr Buchanan spent 25 years teaching and conducting research in food safety, first in academia, then with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, and most recently as the Lead Scientist for the FDA Food Safety Initiative.
His scientific interests are diverse, and include extensive experience in predictive microbiology, quantitative microbial risk assessment, microbial physiology, mycotoxicology, and HACCP systems.
He also has an ongoing interest in the development of science-based
public health policy.
In addition to currently serving as the FDA CFSAN Senior Science
Advisor, he also served as Deputy administrator for Science
with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Dr. Buchanan
is
a member of the National Academy of Sciences's Institute of
Medicine Committee on Emerging Microbiol Threats, and is on
the editorial
boards of several journals.
He has published approximately 300 manuscripts, book chapters and abstracts on a wide range of subjects related to food safety, and is one of the co-developers of the widely used USDA Pathogen Modeling Program.