On Friday, St. Louis University professor and bioterrorism expert, Robert Mark Buller, was killed while riding his bike in the 10600 block of Riverview Drive, in St. Louis. Buller, 67, was a professor in the department of molecular microbiology and immunology, and one of the nation’s foremost poxvirus researchers. He was also a member of “multiple national committees and governmental advisory groups, including some that advised the intelligence community on biodefense,” SLU said in its obituary of the professor.
Police said Buller was killed shortly before 6 p.m. on Friday, and pronounced dead at the scene. A man driving a Ford E-350 tried to pass Buller on the left, but when Buller swerved left, he and the Ford were hit by an oncoming car. He was set to retire in 2018.
His obituary said that his lab at SLU researched gene therapy, vaccines, and antiviral drugs as treatments for smallpox and a number of other lethal viruses. Buller studied ways to protect against viruses if they were used as weapons of bioterrorism. In fact, he was frequently sought after the 9/11 attacks raised concerns about whether or not the smallpox virus could be used as a biological weapon.
He was an active member of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in University City, volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, sponsored impoverished children in other countries, and often donated to Wounded Warriors. He was also devoted to his family, work, and God, and will be missed by his daughter Meghan and wife Joslyn.
Our thoughts are with his family.
Source: USA Breaking News
