People Advancing Science®

How It Began

Abe completed his PhD in Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech, and early in his career focused on building, plumbing, and microbiology. He credits his mentors including Dr. Janet Stout for fostering his appreciation for controlling pathogens in indoor spaces. He became the Director of Water Safety and Management at Special Pathogens Lab, which was acquired by Pace® in 2021, working with Legionella and other water-borne pathogens. He leads a group that works with healthcare facilities and other companies dealing with waterborne pathogens in their water systems. 

What is a day in the lab look like?

At the Pace® Center of Excellence for Legionella Testing in Pittsburgh, PA, Abe and his team are responsible for contacting clients at different facilities that need testing for Legionella or other pathogens. They utilize their expertise to know what next steps are required, such as arranging for more testing, creating a water management plan, completing full case investigations, briefing the facility on Health Department requirements, or additional support. Additionally, informing the public about Legionella and other pathogens is important to Abe and his team.

“We're on the ground helping people who are either trying to prevent disease from beginning due to waterborne pathogens or trying to interrupt the transmission and prevent more from happening.”

-Dr. Abe Cullom

Serving Our Clients through Building Sciences testing

Our client projects are important to us as we work to help them navigate the challenges in this environment. Here's what you can expect from our team:

- Risk Management Communication

- Client Coaching

- Accessibility to our Experts

- Interdisciplinary Collaboration

- Data-driven Decision Support

Pace® Building Sciences Pittsburgh Laboratory

Abe's team works with over 200 separate companies in one month

Since 2020, Abe's team has supported 16 different client Legionella case investigations.