Brian Köhn

Established four field hospital laboratories in Gaza during armed conflict, delivering essential biochemistry and blood banking services.Implemented ISO 15189-based quality management and infection control protocols, training local staff in biosafety practices.

• Managed a multi-disciplinary team of technologists to coordinate lab testing for critical hospital services.
• Collaborated with WHO Laboratory Technical Committee to integrate disease surveillance into laboratory operations.

• Strengthened national laboratory capacity for COVID-19 response by developing diagnostic guidelines and assessing workflows.
• Led establishment of Tajikistan’s National Influenza Center, introducing molecular testing capabilities and quality control measures.
• Provided training and mentorship to laboratory staff, ensuring alignment with WHO protocols.
  Coordinated with government and international partners to enhance lab data utilisation in public health decisions.

• Conducted assessments of lab capacity and consumables, adapting national COVID-19 diagnostic tools and SOPs. Recommended enhancements for workflows and quality assurance in reference laboratories.
• Expanded RT-PCR diagnostic capabilities through training of laboratory professionals.Ensured safe specimen management via remote mentoring in accordance with global standards.
• Facilitated stakeholder coordination by presenting laboratory status updates in health cluster meetings.
  Aligned response strategies with the Ministry of Health and partners through strategic recommendations.

• Directed laboratory management for two multinational Ebola vaccine trials, focusing on GCLP and BSL-3/4 compliance.
• Coordinated specimen handling and international shipments of high-risk samples to Europe and the US.
• Maintained strict bio-safety standards and ensured regulatory compliance in all transport activities. Established robust training programmes for local lab technicians to improve technical skills.

Facilitated diagnostic microbiology and public health lab processes, involving specimen processing, data entry, and quality control oversight in a high-throughput atmosphere.