Captain (CAPT) Sukhminder Kaur Sandhu was appointed by the Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) to serve as the 12^th Chief Scientist for the Service. As the Chief Professional Officer (CPO) for the Scientist category, CAPT Sandhu advises the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the recruitment, assignment, deployment, retention, and career development of scientist professionals in the USPHS Commissioned Corps. CAPT Sandhu’s vision is to ensure that Scientist officers in the  USPHS continue to bring the most current scientific knowledge to address public health challenges, while providing innovative expertise to their agencies and the USPHS as a deployable asset.

CAPT Sandhu currently serves as the Deputy Chief Scientist (DSC) for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In this executive role, she serves as the most senior advisor to the Chief Scientist and the FDA Commissioner on scientific, medical, and public health issues affecting the agency. As DSC, CAPT Sandhu is responsible for advancing FDA's cross-cutting scientific and public health efforts and providing strategic leadership and support for the agency's regulatory science research and innovation initiatives. CAPT Sandhu joined the USPHS in 2004 as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer (EISO) assigned to the District of Columbia Department of Health. She then transitioned to the FDA in 2006 as an Epidemiologist at FDA’s Center for Biologics and Research (CBER). While at CBER, she was instrumental in improving the methodological capabilities of FDA to conduct near real-time biologic safety surveillance. Later, CAPT Sandhu transitioned to FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, serving in multiple positions of increasing responsibility in CDER, from Team Lead, Deputy Division Director to Division Director.

CAPT Sandhu has been involved in USPHS Commissioned Corps activities throughout her career, embracing opportunities to take on an array of challenging leadership roles. This includes serving a term as Chair for the CPO Board, Branch Chief for the Information Management Branch and the Liaison/Agency Representative Branch on her USPHS Tier I team, and External Engagement Lead for the COVID-19 Response Healthcare Resilience Workgroup.

CAPT Sandhu started her career as a USPHS Commissioned Corps officer upon completion of her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Epidemiology from the University of California at Berkeley in 2004. In addition to a PhD, she holds a Master of Public Health degree in Infectious Diseases, a Master of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Molecular and Cell Biology.

CAPT Sandhu’s parents, Bachittar S. Sandhu and Surjeet K. Sandhu, instilled in her the value of public service. Although she spent most of her youth and early adulthood on the West Coast, CAPT Sandhu moved to the Washington D.C. area upon completing her doctoral education. She currently lives in Virginia with her husband Haar and their sweet twin daughters, Ishha and Nhoor. In her spare time, CAPT Sandhu enjoys spending time with her family and friends, running, and cooking.