Founding Director

Arlan G. Richardson, PhD
Founding Director, Barshop Institute

Dr. Arlan Richardson is a trained biochemist who has devoted more than 35 years to scientific research and education. He earned his PhD in biochemistry from Oklahoma State University, then received a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul, where he studied gene expression in mice. Since his training, Dr. Richardson has held academic appointments that include professor of chemistry at Illinois State University, and Distinguished Professor, Board of Regents, State of Illinois. In 1990, he was recruited to the UT Health Science Center. He is a professor of cellular and structural biology, senior career research scientist with the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, and holds the Methodist Hospital Foundation Chair in Aging Studies and Research.

Dr. Richardson’s intrigue with understanding the biological mechanisms involved in aging processes began in the mid 1970s, and since then has become an eminent leader in the field of biogerontology. He has mentored more than 50 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty in aging studies. He sits on the editorial board of numerous scientific publishers, and his own publication record consists of more than 230 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. Dr. Richardson’s many leadership achievements and awards in aging research include the following:

• Current member of the US National Advisory Council on Aging
• Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award from the National Institute on Aging

• 2010 Presidential Distinguished Senior Research Scholar

• 2010 Faculty Leadership Award from the University of Texas Health Science Center Faculty Senate

• 2011 Honorary Life Member of the British Society for Research on Ageing