David Acheson

Guide Note:

Dr. David Acheson is the Assistant Commissioner for Food Protection at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He is the first to serve in the position, which is otherwise known as the "Food Safety Czar."

Fast Fact:

1. Full name: David William Kennedy Acheson
2. Alma Mater: University of London Medical School
3. Has worked at both USDA and FDA
4. Appointed following melamine contamination of pet food from China

Acheson received his training in internal medicine and infectious diseases from the University of London Medical School, and in 1987, joined Tufts-New England Medical Center. At Tufts, Acheson began his research on food-borne pathogens, and on E.coli bacteria in particular. In 2001, Acheson became a professor at the University of Maryland Medical School in Baltimore, where he continued his research.

In 2000, Acheson entered government service as the senior food safety specialist for the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service. In 2002, Acheson transferred to the FDA, where he was appointed the Chief Medical Officer of the department's Office of Food Defense, Communication and Emergency Response at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). In 2007, Acheson became the nation's "food safety czar," in charge of anticipating and acting upon food safety crises and scares.