Dr. Kirk Douglas is the Director of the Centre for Biosecurity Studies at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus. He is a professional senior scientist recognized both regionally and internationally for impactful scientific research in the fields of virology, zoonoses, biosecurity, climate change, microbiology, and infectious diseases. He has earned a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Microbiology (2001), a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree in Microbiology (2007) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Medical Microbiology (2020) from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados. In addition, he holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree with Merit Honours (2019) from Warwick Business School (WBS), University of Warwick, United Kingdom.

His scientific research led to several novel findings of zoonotic viruses present in Barbados and the Caribbean including ‘bird flu’, dengue virus, Chikungunya, Zika virus, West Nile Virus, orthohantaviruses, arenaviruses and cowpox viruses. He has authored multiple peer-reviewed scientific papers in the fields of microbiology, virology, biosecurity, climate change, infectious diseases and zoonoses which have received over 100 citations. He has played significant roles in regional (Caribbean) consultations with CIRAD, CIFOR, SWM, CCCCC, Ministry of Health, PAHO, WOAH, CITES, GCF, and UNODC. His current research interests include zoonoses, infectious diseases, air pollution, wildfires, climate change, bioeconomy, sustainability, illegal wildlife trade, border security, The Blue Economy, environmental pollution, and ecosystem health. His current research includes the development of a BioTrash to Cash (BTC) sustainable model seeks to utilize biological waste streams into economic revenue that generates new job opportunities, reduces soil, water and air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and protects fragile ecosystems in SIDS. This model aims to reduce the cost of living enabling a larger proportion of SIDS populations to participate in renewable energy generation obtain valuable revenue.