Dr. Steve Zhou joined EPA as a Senior Science Advisor within the Office of Pesticide Programs’ Microbiology Laboratory Branch in 2024.  A widely recognized authority in antimicrobial efficacy testing, Dr. Zhou brings over 25 years of interdisciplinary experience in virology, microbiology, and molecular biology.  He possesses deep expertise in regulatory guidelines and standard methodologies—including ASTM, EN, USP, OECD, and ISO—and has directed a number of efficacy studies in strict compliance with GLP, cGMP, and ISO standards.

Throughout his career, Dr. Zhou has held several key leadership positions.  His previous roles include Assistant General Manager at Eurofins EAG, Director of Virology and Toxicology at Microbac Laboratories, Laboratory Director of Viral Clearance at MilliporeSigma, and a research role in antiviral drug development at Merck & Co.

As an active leader in the scientific community, Dr. Zhou has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters and is a frequent speaker at scientific conferences. He also served as co-chair of the Contamination Control program for the Industrial Society of Biotechnology. His technical background includes direct experience with Biosafety Level 3 organisms and select agents, such as SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, he is a licensed Medical Waste Management Facility Operator. Dr. Zhou holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Virology from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.