We are very glad to announce that this month’s Spotlight researcher is Fred Lorey, PhD. He has been a dedicated researcher for many years and has played an essential role in the Newborn Screening community for over fifteen years. Dr. Lorey received his bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary. He then went on to receive his master’s degree and PhD from the University of California, Davis. After finishing his doctoral work, he worked as an assistant professor in biological anthropology at the University of Minnesota. His post-doctoral studies included Biological Anthropology and Genetics, which led him into a successful career in the public health and research world.
Dr. Lorey is currently the acting Chief of the Genetic Disease Screening Program at the California Department of Public Health. As acting Chief, Dr. Lorey and his team of researchers have worked to bring excellent prenatal and newborn screening care to California. Dr. Lorey has also worked to expand the prenatal screening program so that in 2009 it included an integrated first and second trimester screening program which improves the detection of Down syndrome and other birth defects.
He has contributed greatly to research in Newborn Screening during his time in California and serves on the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children. Dr. Lorey’s research expertise includes human genetics and genetic disease epidemiology, protein electrophoresis, chromatography, and human evolution and primate behavior. His specialties have spanned research of morbidity and mortality detected in infants through screening programs. Dr. Lorey has published a number of works in hemoglobinopathies, metabolic disorders, endocrine disorders, prenatal screening, and other newborn screening subjects. He has also investigated the possible correlation of perchlorate spill and hypothyroidism; MCADD and SIDS; as well as SIDS and sickle cell trait.