Richard B. Johnston, Jr., MD received his undergraduate education from Vanderbilt University, his MD from Vanderbilt School of Medicine (1961), pediatric residency at Vanderbilt and Children’s Hospital, Boston, and 4.5 years of basic research education at Harvard and Rockefeller Universities.

He was Assistant/Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology, University of Alabama Birmingham, 1970-76; Visiting Associate Professor and Visiting Professor, The Rockefeller University, 1976-77 & 1984-85; Professor and Chair of Pediatrics, National Jewish/University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, 1977-86; Wm. H. Bennett Professor, 1986-92, and Chair of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia/University of Pennsylvania 1986-90; Medical Director, March of Dimes Foundation, 1992-99; Chief of Pediatric Immunology, Yale School of Medicine, 1992-99; Professor of Pediatrics, University of Colorado and National Jewish Health, 1999-2015; Executive VP for Academic Affairs, National Jewish Health, 2004-07; Associate Dean for Research Development, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 2001-15.

Dr. Johnston was elected President of the Society for Pediatric Research and the American Pediatric Society (APS) and twice as Chairman of the Board of the International Pediatric Research Foundation. He chaired advisory committees for the FDA (Vaccines & Related Biological Products Committee), CDC, NIH, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and 7 committees for the IOM/NAM. He received the Commissioner’s Special Citation and Harvey Wiley Medal from the FDA (“Exceptional performance in strengthening the FDA’s role in the protection of health”), the John Howland Medal from the APS (highest award in U.S.-Canadian academic pediatrics), and the David Rall Medal from the NAM (“For distinguished service to the NAM”). He is a member of the NAM.