James J. Valdes, Ph.D
Senior Research Fellow

Dr. James J. Valdes received his Ph.D. in neuroscience from Texas Christian University in 1979 and was a postdoctoral fellow in neurotoxicity at The Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health.

His areas of research interest include toxicogenomics and biotechnology. He initiated a biosensor program at the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) and chaired the first four International Conferences on Biosensors. Dr. Valdes organized and co-chaired the 1993 and 1995 Keystone Symposiums on "Environmental Bioremediation and Biodegradation" and "Environmental Biotechnology" (respectively), the 2002 NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Toxicogenomics and Proteomics and was a co-organizer of the 2008 International Biotechnology Symposium. He serves on a number of NATO, academic and Department of Defense panels, and is a member of the Boards of Directors of the International Society for Environmental Biotechnology and the Advanced Science and Technology Adjudication Resource (ASTAR) Program. ASTAR develops science and technology educational programs and certification standards for the nation’s senior judiciary, certifying judges to adjudicate cases involving science and technology.

His awards and recognition include winning the Army Research and Development Achievement Award in 1984 and 1987, the Army Materiel Command's Ten Best Personnel Award in 1988, the Baltimore Federal Executive Board Silver Award for Excellence in Federal Career in 1990, a commendation for Outstanding Research Accomplishments at the 1990 and 2000 U.S. Army Science Conference, and a bronze medal for the Best Paper at the 2002 meeting. He also received the Presidential Rank Award in 2003, which was presented to him by the Secretary of the Army and the Vice Chief of Army Staff on behalf of the President.

Dr. Valdes is adjunct Professor of Life Sciences at the University of Texas at San Antonio, adjunct Professor of Neuroscience at Baylor University, and was appointed to the Graduate Faculty at the University of Maryland. He was Distinguished Visiting Scientist for the Agency for Defense Development, Republic of Korea, in 1987 and 1994, and is a National Research Council post-doctoral fellow advisor. Dr. Valdes serves on the Board of Trustees of Harford Community College.

Dr. Valdes is the author of more than 100 refereed scientific journal articles and 55 technical reports, and has given more than 300 presentations to international scientific professional groups.