Landon Westfall

Landon Westfall has extensive work experience in virology research and project management. From 2021 onwards, they have been serving as the Deputy Division Manager and Head of Virology at IIT Research Institute (IITRI). Prior to this, they worked at Southern Research from 2015 to 2021, where they held various roles including Associate Director of Influenza and Senior Project Manager. In these roles, they were responsible for overseeing all aspects of influenza-related research, from planning and budgeting to study execution and reporting. Landon also served as a Study Director and Subject Matter Expert for infectious diseases, leading multiple projects for government and commercial clients.

Before joining Southern Research, Westfall worked at Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute from 2009 to 2015. Landon held positions as an Associate Research Scientist and ABSL3 Study Director, where they conducted animal studies, developed new animal models, and wrote comprehensive reports. Landon also worked as a Senior Postdoctoral Research Associate, conducting in vitro research on the effects of human milk oligosaccharides on viral immune responses.

Furthermore, Westfall has teaching experience as an Adjunct Faculty member at ITT Technical Institute from 2010 to 2012. Landon also worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center from 2007 to 2009, focusing on simian virus 40 detection and polyomavirus research. Prior to that, they served as a Research Assistant and Graduate Student at the same institution, conducting research on the regulatory mechanism of pyocyanin production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Landon Westfall completed their Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry at Texas Tech University from 1995 to 2000. Following this, they pursued a Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology from the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, which they obtained from 2002 to 2006.