Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory



Dr. Tuan Nguyen

nguyen56@llnl.gov (925) 422-2516

Photo of Dr. Tuan Nguyen

Dr. Tuan H. Nguyen is a senior fellow at the Center for Global Security Research and senior scientist in the Global Security Directorate at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. His policy research focuses on countering WMD at the nexus of arms control, nonproliferation, and science and technology while his technical research centers on the development of medical countermeasures and diagnostics for chemical and biological threats.

Previously, he served in the US Department of Defense as chief scientific advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs where he advised on all matters related to the research, development, and acquisition of capabilities to counter WMD, including activities carried out by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the offices for nuclear matters, chemical and biological defense, and threat reduction and arms control. He also served in the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation where he was responsible for developing policy recommendations on chemical and biological weapons arms control and nonproliferation. In addition, he has been an adjunct professor of chemistry at George Washington University and California State University, East Bay.

He received his BS in biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin in 1998, PhD in chemistry from Iowa State University in 2003, and in that same year began his independent research career at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as a Herbert York Fellow.

Selected Publications

  • Development of a CNS-permeable Reactivator for Nerve Agent Exposure: An Iterative, Multi-disciplinary Approach, Sci. Rep. 2021, 11, 15567.
  • The Biodistribution and Pharmacokinetics of the Oxime Acetylcholinesterase Reactivator RS194B in Guinea Pigs, Chem Biol Interact. 2017, 277, 159-167.
  • Predicting a Drug’s Membrane Permeability: A Computational Model Validated with In-Vitro Permeability Assay Data, J. Phys. Chem. B 2017, 121, 5228.
  • Detection of ESKAPE Bacterial Pathogens at the Point-of-care Using Isothermal DNA-based Assays in a Portable, De-gas Microfluidic Diagnostic Assay Platform, Appl. Environ. MicroBiol. 2017, 83(4).
  • The Chemical Weapons Threat, Department of National Security Affairs, Naval Postgraduate School, 2015 August.
  • Point-of-Need Isothermal DNA Detection, Chemical & Biological Defense S&T Conference, St. Louis MO, 2015 May.
  • Countering Nuclear Threats, USSTRATCOM Strategic Advisory Group CWMD Panel, Omaha NE, 2009 September.
  • Implications of Advances in Production Technologies to the Chemical Weapons Convention, IUPAC/OPCW International Workshop, Zagreb Croatia, 2007 April.
  • Microprocess Technology: Latent Capability for Chemical Warfare Proliferation, Center for International Security & Cooperation Seminar Series, Stanford University, Palo Alto CA, 2006 May.
  • Security Implications of Microprocess Technology for Chemical Production, WMD Latency Roundtable, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore CA, 2006 January.
  • Microchallenges of Chemical Weapons Proliferation, Science, 2005, 309, 1021.
  • Security Implications of Global Technology Diffusion, Chemical and Biological Weapons: Confronting New Challenges, Wilton Park, Steyning UK, 2004 October.