Biography

Bradford L. Therrell, Jr., Ph.D. is a Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and is Director of the National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center (NNSGRC).

Dr. Therrell earned his B.S. in Chemistry from Mississippi College, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Inorganic Chemistry from the Florida State University. In 1997, he was awarded an honorary M.D. by Kunming Medical College, Kunming, China for, " his outstanding contributions to improving pediatric health outcome through newborn screening."  In 2009, he was named "Distinguished Alumnus for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry" at Mississippi College.

Prior to assuming the directorship of the NNSGRC, Dr. Therrell worked for over 28 years for the Texas Department of Health Bureau of Laboratories. There he was Director of the Chemical Services Division with management responsibilities for newborn screening, clinical chemistry, biochemistry, cytogenetic testing, toxicology, and blood banking programs. Previously he served as director of the laboratory project providing laboratory screening services to state Medicaid recipients. He is certified as a High Complexity Laboratory Director by the American Association of Bioanalysts.

Dr. Therrell is a founding member and a Past President and Secretary of the International Society for Neonatal Screening (ISNS).  He was awarded the Society's prestigious Robert Guthrie Award in 2000, "In worldwide recognition of outstanding contributions to Newborn Screening."  He served as Secretary of Policy of the Council of Regional Networks for Genetic Services and Chairman of its Newborn Screening Committee. Dr. Therrell also served as Chairman of the Texas Genetics’ Network Newborn Screening Committee, and currently is a member of the U.S. Health and Human Services Select Technical Assistance Team for Newborn Screening, a member of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards Subcommittee on Newborn Screening, and an expert reviewer for the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Dr. Therrell's extended activities include over 150 invited lectures and presentations in over 30 countries around the world, and membership or involvement in numerous international professional meetings. He served as a lecturer at the annual Japanese International Cooperation Agency sponsored course, Technology for Infantile and Neonatal Screening, in Sapporo, Japan from 1991 to 2003 and as a laboratory certification consultant to the Philippine Department of Health since 2006.

Dr. Therrell has served as Editor or Co-Editor of several scientific publications, including Infant Screening (an international newsletter), the Journal of Medical Screening, Genetic Testing, and Screening (Journal of the ISNS). He has edited or co-edited 6 books and 7 book chapters, 11 monographs, and over 150 scientific articles in the areas of public health policy, computerization, automation, chemistry, microbiology, endocrinology, hematology, and newborn screening.


Dr. Therrell can be contacted at therrell@uthscsa.edu.