Forensics Journal - Stevenson University 2014 | Page 5

STEVENSON UNIVERSITY

Interview with Scott Decker
Stephanie Witt

the company that I worked for was to research new procedures for
marketing infectious disease diagnostics using DNA, which was at
this time in its infancy. At this point, the patent for PCR was being
held by a corporation named Cetus, and was not available for use. I
spent several years researching alternative methods to PCR, but nothing proved more successful than PCR which was eventually licensed
for use. PCR has revolutionized the field of Biotechnology.

SCOTT DECKER, BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Scott Decker received his Ph.D. in Human
Genetics from the University of Michigan
in 1982 where his studies focused on serum
proteins.. He then became a Post-Doctoral
Fellow at Harvard Medical School in the
Department of Biological Chemistry where he
studied DNA replication mechanisms. Following his time at Harvard Medical, he joined a small biotechnology
startup company in Boston. In 1990, he applied to the FBI and after
graduating from the academy, he became a special agent. His first
appointment with the FBI was investigating bank and armored car
robberies in Boston from 1990-1997. He was then transferred to the
Hazardous Materials Response Unit (HAZMAT) where he stayed
until 2001. He worked as a Special Agent and Supervisory Special
Agent on the Amerithrax investigation from 2001-2007. Currently,
Dr. Decker works at American International Biotechnology, LLC
as the Director of Security. Dr. Decker is currently writing a book
detailing the Anthrax case titled: Attribution: Inside the FBI’s Anthrax
Investigation--An Evolution of Forensics.

WHAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS RESPONSE UNIT (HAZMAT)?
The Hazardous Materials Response Unit included Special Agents with
backgrounds in science including, Biology, Chemistry, and Medicine. The goal was to prepare for an event of the use of weapons of
mass destruction against the United States. We were responsible for
developing methods for processing crime scenes that were associated
with methods of mass destruction. These would include Radiological, Chemical, and Biological warfare. We also responded to crime
scenes around the country, because at the time there were very few
agents trained in Hazardous Materials evidence collection. One case
I worked on was in Texas where several individuals were trying to
weaponize Rabies, HIV, and Botulism.

WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT RESPONSIBILITIES AT
AIBIOTECH?

HOW DID THE FBI HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE
UNIT DIFFER FROM THEIR COUNTERPART, THE FBI BOMB
DATA CENTER?

I currently act as Director of Security at AIBioTech. I oversee a range
of security programs for our company. I ensure that we adhere to
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
(HIPAA) to protect our patients who seek our services We also
maintain a Bio-Safety Level 3 Laboratory which means that we are a
containment laboratory certified to work with dangerous pathogens,
including Bacillus anthracis.