Gerald Thrush

Gerald Thrush is the Vice Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Immunology at the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences. He holds a PhD in Immunology/Microbiology from Wayne State University (1990) and a B.S. in Biology from Saginaw Valley State University (1985). His academic career includes roles as Professor at WesternU (2006–present), Associate Dean at CSUSB (2000–2003), and prior faculty positions at California State University San Bernardino and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

His research focuses on immunotoxin therapy for lymphomas using T-cell receptor conjugates and ricin A-chain, as well as Lyme disease epidemiology in Southern California. He has secured multiple grants, including a National Cancer Institute R15 grant ($95K) and WesternU's intramural funding. His awards include the 2015 Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching and over a dozen student-voted 'Outstanding Basic Science Faculty' recognitions.

Teaching responsibilities include immunology, microbiology, and molecular biology courses at both medical and graduate levels. He pioneered curriculum mapping technologies to align teaching with assessment, presenting at AMEE, AACOM, and APMEC conferences. His recent work emphasizes medical education innovation, diversity initiatives, and competency-based training frameworks.

• Key grants: NIH R15 (2000–2002), WesternU intramural ($15K, 2007–2008)
• Leadership roles: Academic Affairs Vice Dean since 2006
• Professional service: American Association of Immunologists, American Society for Microbiology