Michele Edenfield, MS, RBP (ABSA)
Michele Edenfield serves as the Bureau Biosafety Senior Scientist, leading the development of a comprehensive biosafety program across the bureau. Her focus is on supporting safe, responsible research with biological materials by creating practical, science-aligned biosafety strategies to reduce risks to people, research, and the environment—without creating unnecessary barriers.
Michele Edenfield, MS, RBP (ABSA) is a seasoned Biosafety Professional with over 15 years of experience advancing biosafety and biosecurity practices across government and academic institutions. Her career began knee-deep in corn and cotton fields, investigating fungi and other plant pathogens—an early testament to her scientific curiosity and versatility. She later transitioned to working in high-containment laboratories where she worked with infectious diseases, animal models, and viral pathogens. This bench-level experience in Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) and BSL-3E (Enhanced) environments informs her practical, risk-based approach to biosafety.
Michele brings a unique blend of hands-on field and laboratory expertise and strategic biosafety leadership. She is deeply committed to fostering a culture of safe science and is passionate about educating researchers on responsible practices in biological sciences. Whether developing training programs, advising on containment strategies, mentoring the next generation of biosafety professionals, or shaping institutional biosafety policies, Michele brings expertise, enthusiasm, and a collaborative spirit to every endeavor and is driven by a mission to protect people, science, and the environment.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government