Staff Pages – Gryphon Scientific

Dr. John Baggett

Biochemist

Dr. John Baggett

Biochemist

Dr. John ‘Jeep’ Baggett is a biochemist with expertise in scientific communication, data visualization, and data analysis. He received his B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Nevada, Reno. His doctoral work focused on sub-population molecular marker development and plant abiotic stress. This work involved field, greenhouse, laboratory, and in silico experimentation. Before joining Gryphon in 2022, Dr. Baggett worked for the Nevada Department of Agriculture as the Education and Information Officer, analyzing agricultural data, producing reports, and interacting with stakeholders. At Gryphon, Dr. Baggett focuses on projects in data management and communications.

Jeep is an avid outdoorsman, gardener, and cook. You will often find him in the kitchen creating meals with ingredients he produced and harvested himself.

- Data Management & Communications Practice Area

Dr. Daniel Greene

Biosecurity researcher

Dr. Daniel Greene

Biosecurity researcher

Dr. Daniel Greene is a biosecurity researcher in the Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Emerging Technologies practice area at Gryphon. Daniel completed a PhD in Education at Stanford and worked for several years at an education-technology nonprofit before becoming inspired to work on biorisk issues and completing a postdoc at Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation. His interests include using insights from the social and behavioral sciences to improve risk-assessment methods and promote a culture of responsibility among life scientists.

After ten years of living in cooperative-living group houses, Dan has developed strong skills in conflict mediation, chore-system administration, and cooking dinner for 20-30 people at a time.

- Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Emerging Technologies (BBET) Practice Area
- LinkedIn

Dr. Dylan McClung

Microbiologist

Dr. Dylan McClung

Microbiologist

Dr. Dylan McClung is a microbiologist with expertise in natural product discovery and antibiotic resistance. He received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where his interdisciplinary research spanned microbial ecology, natural product chemistry, genetics/genomics, and molecular protein modeling. In graduate school, he began performing as Dyna Cockus Rose, which allowed him to combine the art of drag and science communication on an international scale. At Gryphon, Dr. McClung focuses on science communications and outreach, with an emphasis on social media, to support influenza, coronavirus, and translational science research.

Dylan is an avid player of video games (particularly JRPGs), enjoys of indie pop music, and is trying to get back into running shape. When he’s not consuming pop culture, he loves spending time with his partner, Stuart, and their dog, Cooper.

- Data Management & Communications Practice Area
- LinkedIn

Sara Baltozer, MPH

Policy Analyst and Planner

Sara Baltozer, MPH

Policy Analyst and Planner

Sara Baltozer, MPH, has an expertise in public health and disaster preparedness. Previously, she worked as an epidemiologist in local government where she played a key role in responding to natural disasters, outbreaks, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Her primary interests are in disaster preparedness and emergency planning for the government and healthcare sectors. At Gryphon, her work focuses on policy planning and analysis. Sara has a particular talent for translating complex ideas into concise and helpful guidance. She holds a BS in Genetics and an MPH from the University of California Davis.

Sara enjoys dabbling in triathlons and is an aspiring mountain biker. Her favorite place to train is in the mountains north of San Francisco, where the ocean views are panoramic, the grades are steep, and the donut shops are plentiful.

- All-Hazards Preparedness, Response, and CBRN Defense Practice Area

Landy Sun

Data Scientist

Landy Sun

Data Scientist

Landy Sun holds a BS in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University. He leverages his extensive technical and analytical skillset alongside his experience with Python, R, Matlab, GIS, and SQL in his work at Gryphon. Landy specializes in conducting risk assessments and performing data analysis to support decision-making for policies governing biosecurity and biosafety topics, including emerging infectious diseases and intentional CBRN attacks. He has also led the development of virtual training tools for instructing laboratory adherence to biosafety/biosecurity guidelines, and for training volunteers and researchers in emergency response scenarios.

Landy is an avid outdoorsman, you can often find him rock climbing, snowboarding, or riding his electric unicycle. In his downtime, he enjoys playing on the piano, with covers of Muse and the Strokes being his favorite songs!

- Data Science Practice Area

Biomedical Scientist: Christian Garnier

Christian Garnier

Biomedical Scientist

Christian Garnier

Biomedical Scientist

Christian Garnier holds a B.S. in biomedical engineering from the University of Virginia. Since joining Gryphon in 2016, his work has spanned a variety of Gryphon’s practice areas and has supported preparedness efforts both in the U.S. and internationally, including evidence-based disease models and risk assessments. In recent years, Christian’s work at Gryphon has become focused on international scientific engagement, working with stakeholders abroad to promote responsible conduct of research and enhance international capabilities for preventing biological threats.

An avid fan of outdoor sports like climbing and skiing, Christian recently moved to Colorado to be closer to the mountains. When not climbing or out on the slopes, Christian can be found exploring local breweries and planning his next ski trip.

Dr. Jonathan Pinney

Immunologist

Dr. Jonathan Pinney

Immunologist

Dr. Pinney is an immunologist with expertise in the immune system processes that both support a healthy bodily state and promote proper responses to infection and disease. His doctoral studies utilized cell biology, imaging, and computational methods to better understand how our immune systems can be harnessed to treat cancer. At Gryphon, his work focuses on projects with healthcare implications that leverage data science techniques to better understand disease-associated risks and guide disease prevention strategies. Dr. Pinney has a B.A. in Biology from Hamilton College and a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Rochester.

Jonathan is an avid outdoor distance athlete who has run three marathons (including the Boston Marathon) and who once went on a 52-day cross-country bicycle trip that went from California to New Jersey.

- Data Science Practice Area
- NCBI Bibliography

Dr. Henry Wyneken

Data Scientist

Dr. Henry Wyneken

Data Scientist

Dr. Henry Wyneken is a statistician with expertise in predictive analytics, experimental design, and communication of complex statistical concepts and results. He values using statistics to fairly, but severely, test the usefulness of ideas in the real world. Dr. Wyneken earned his PhD in Statistics from the University of Minnesota, where his research focused on the benefits of combining information from multiple plausible models. Prior to joining Gryphon, Dr. Wyneken worked at Syngenta Seeds Inc., where he performed varied statistical analyses to support research to develop new hybrid corn varieties and manage the supply chain of hybrid seed corn. At Gryphon, he provides analytical support to projects in a wide variety of domain areas, including evaluation of the risk of lab accidents and visualization of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness data.

Henry enjoys working on his German language skills, fixing up his house, and hiking. While the view from the top of the Adirondacks is great, it is seconded only to the view from his hand-built backyard patio.

- Data Science Practice Area

Dr. Katharyn Kryda

Veterinarian

Dr. Katharyn Kryda

Veterinarian

Dr. Katharyn Kryda is a public health veterinarian with a particular interest in disaster preparedness and emerging infectious disease issues involving travel and trade. After practicing clinical veterinary medicine for seven years, Dr. Kryda was selected as an ASPPH Public Health Fellow, marking the first time this position was offered to a veterinarian. She served at the U.S. Department of Transportation, where she supported COVID-19, biodefense, and global health security engagements. At Gryphon, Dr. Kryda applies her interdisciplinary expertise to projects to improve preparedness for and response to infectious disease outbreaks, with a focus on One Health approaches to combatting zoonotic diseases. Dr. Kryda earned her DVM and MPH concentrating in Epidemiology from the University of Illinois, and she graduated from FEMA’s National Emergency Management Basic Academy in July 2021.

Katharyn loves all modes of transportation with a particular fondness for trains, ships, and bicycles. Her favorite cycling adventure to date was a week-long trip across The Algarve in southern Portugal, potentially inspired by too many viewings of Breaking Away during her childhood.

- All-Hazards Preparedness, Response, and CBRN Defense Practice Area
- NCBI Bibliography

Lauren Plaine, MPS, RN, CEN

Emergency Management Analyst

Lauren Plaine, MPS, RN, CEN

Emergency Management Analyst

Lauren Plaine, MPS, RN, CEN is an emergency management and medicine professional with 10 years of practice leading, guiding, and teaching others though crises and disasters. Her work at Gryphon focuses on emergency management planning, policy, and training, particularly related to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense. Previously, she supervised a hospital emergency department within a Level 1 trauma center. Lauren holds a BSN from Old Dominion University and an MPS in Emergency and Disaster Management from Georgetown University. Her graduate research focused on Crisis Standards of Care within COVID-19.

Lauren enjoys tending to her 20 house plants as well as propagating them to share, which include a collection of herbs she uses to spice up home cooking projects.

- All-Hazards Preparedness, Response, and CBRN Defense Practice Area
- LinkedIn