Boston – October 13, 2026 -- Red Queen Bio PBC has recruited Ian Watson, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defense, to lead its government affairs strategy as the AI biosecurity company expands its work with federal buyers.
Watson to engage the Department of War, Department of Energy and HHS
Watson will deepen the company's relationships across the federal government, national laboratories and agencies including the Department of War, the Department of Energy and the Department of Health and Human Services.
CEO and co-founder Nikolai Eroshenko said the biosecurity landscape is evolving faster than many traditional systems were designed to respond, and that Watson understands what it takes to deploy and scale new technological capabilities.
Watson oversaw Joint Force chemical and biological defense development
In his most recent role, Watson oversaw development of chemical and biological defense capabilities for the Joint Force. He also served as Executive Secretary of the Biodefense Executive Council and led the Department of War's Biosurveillance Program.
HHS role covered Defense Production Act program during COVID-19
Before that, Watson was Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director of the Office of Strategy, Policy, Planning, and Requirements within the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response at HHS. His remit there included industrial base expansion, supply-chain management and the Defense Production Act program during the COVID-19 response.
White House stint produced National Bioeconomy Initiative
From 2018 to 2020, Watson was Assistant Director for Biotechnology and Biosecurity at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. He led the National Bioeconomy Initiative with the National Security Council and co-chaired National Science and Technology Council biodefense and biological sciences subcommittees.
Earlier, he held a series of leadership roles at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, including oversight of international biological threat reduction programs. He began his career in missile defense and arms control, working on the Army's PAC-3 and MEADS programs.
Watson said Red Queen Bio is tackling the problem "with the technical depth and urgency of a technology company, while staying focused on the national security realities."