David A. Espeseth

David A. Espeseth, 84, of Perkasie, Pennsylvania, USA passed away on Saturday, February 3, 2024. David was an IABS Leader and served many roles within the organization. 

He attended the University of Minnesota, where he earned Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees and after military service he joined the US Biologics Program.  David also earned a Master of Science degree in microbiology from the University of Maryland and rose through the ranks to become Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Veterinary Biologics. While at USDA, he was instrumental in policy development for new and emerging veterinary biologics and he represented the U.S. government in numerous international fora across five continents, playing a leading role in harmonizing international regulatory requirements for veterinary biologics.  He was instrumental in the creation of VICH and served for many years on the VICH Steering Committee where he collaborated on the framework for the developmental process of harmonized guidelines; many of which have gone on to become the global standard for veterinary pharmaceutical biological regulation. 

During David’s career and retirement, he was very active in IABS and served in leadership roles for nearly 30 years.  He served as Board Member, Chair of the inaugural Veterinary Biological Committee, member of the Editorial Board of Biologicals, and Interim Editor-in-Chief for Biologicals. He received the IABS President’s Award for all his work for the Alliance. 

William (Bill) Egan

William (Bill) Egan, 79, of Columbia, MD, USA passed away on November 16, 2023. Dr. Egan was elected to the IABS Board of Directors in 2010 and served until May 2017. He was strongly involved in six conferences on “New Cells for New Vaccines” involving IABS at various degrees.

Dr. Egan attended Manhattan College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree, and Princeton University where he earned a PhD in Chemistry. He had over 40 years’ experience in the development and regulation of biologics. He spent 28 years at the US FDA’s Office of Vaccines Research and Review (OVRR) in the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Review: as Acting Director of OVRR (2003-2005), Deputy Director of OVRR (1995-2003), OVRR Associate Director for Research (1993-1995), and Chief of the Biophysics Laboratory (1983-1995). After leaving FDA, Dr. Egan served as a Consultant to the Biologics Industry and, in March of 2012, joined Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, and later GSK.

Dr. Egan had over 150 publications and was an expert in vaccine development. He served on numerous government and non-government committees in the US as well as globally and participated in several Congressional hearing on vaccines. He dedicated his career to assuring vaccines were of the highest quality. Bill’s legacy lives on through the millions of healthy children around the world who have access to safe and effective vaccines.