David R. Beier, MD, PhD

After my undergraduate education at Harvard University, I obtained my MD and PhD degrees in the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Washington, and was an intern in Pediatrics at Seattle Children's Hospital. I returned to Harvard Medical School for post-doctoral training in Dr. Philip Leder's lab, and also pursued clinical training in Medical Genetics. I joined the faculty of the HMS Dept. of Medicine in 1990 and became Professor in 2005. In 2012 I returned to Seattle as a Professor in Pediatrics and as the Director of the Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine at the Seattle Children's Research Institute. My research has focused primarily on the use of genetic analysis in model systems as a means to understand human biology and disease. My efforts have provided insight into basic developmental processes, and have led to the identification of a number of human disease genes. My research is consistently forward looking, with the aim of marrying enabling genomic technology with innovative strategies of genetic analysis. I have endeavored to make these approaches accessible, and have led a number of community initiatives.