Dr. Landon Cooksey

Landon Cooksey was born in 1945 in Lansing, Michigan to the parents of a Navy Commander and third grade school teacher. He started his collegiate academic career at the age 15 after graduating from J.W. Sexton High School in 1960. Cooksey graduated from Michigan State University at the age of 20 with a B.S. and M.S. in Microbiology concentrating his research in molecular pathogenesis and virology. Cooksey then pursued his PhD in molecular virology and microbiology from the Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Cooksey was then recruited by the United States Army to research a military use for molecular pathogens.

After leaving the Army in 1984 Dr. Cooksey worked for a pharmaceutical research firm in the Kansas City area. During this time Dr. Cooksey published several world renowned articles regarding the mutation of pathogens and their ability to resist know antibiotics. His expertise in the field has led him to be employed by hire ranking private pharmaceutical companies over the years. Dr. Cooksey said in a 60 Minutes II interview, regarding bioterrorism against the United States, that he chose the Lake Tahoe area because the “elevation and wind patterns would make it difficult for biological weapons to be effective”. Dr. Cooksey later apologized for his comments not meaning to incite alarm, after receiving pressure from several talk radio hosts, namely Alan Colmes.

After his retirement in August of 2005 Dr. Cooksey moved to the Lake Tahoe area where he has settled down with his wife, Sandy of 35 years and their two dogs.