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July 15, 2014

Dr. Tim O'Leary named chief research and development officer for VA

Timothy J. O'Leary, MD, PhD, was named chief research and development officer (CRADO) for VA, effective June 2014. He had been serving as acting CRADO since June 2013.

As CRADO, O'Leary will oversee a nationwide research program based at more than 100 VA medical centers that addresses the full range of health concerns affecting America's Veterans, from post-deployment health to chronic diseases and aging. The program, dating back to 1925, includes biomedical, clinical, and health services research. It has resulted in three Nobel prizes, seven Lasker awards, and numerous other national and international honors for its investigators.

O'Leary holds a doctorate in physical chemistry from Stanford University and a medical degree from the University of Michigan. He is certified in anatomic pathology by the American Board of Pathology and in molecular genetic pathology by the American Board of Pathology and the American Board of Medical Genetics.

Prior to his VA service, O'Leary chaired the department of cellular pathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology for more than 15 years. He joined VA in 2004, initially as director of Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development (BLR&D). He then served as director of BLR&D and Clinical Sciences Research and Development (CSR&D), followed by a stint as deputy CRADO and director of CSR&D, prior to his becoming acting CRADO last year.

O'Leary also served as a reserve member of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps from 1979 to 2010, serving two tours on active duty.

His own research interests include genomics, proteomics, and ultrasensitive detection of biological toxins. He has served on numerous federal panels and advisory committees, including the Health and Human Services Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee and the Food and Drug Administration Hematology and Devices Panel.

O'Leary, the holder of three patents, has authored or co-authored more than 170 journal articles and numerous book chapters and technical reports. He is a past president of the Association for Molecular Pathology and serves as editor-in-chief for its Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.