Thomas H. Shepard MD

Thomas H. Shepard, M.D., Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, University of Washington.A charter member and Past President (1968-1969) of the Teratology Society, Dr. Shepard had a monumental and long-lasting impact on the field of teratology - as a scientist, mentor, teacher, and colleague. He served as a mentor to many of the leaders in the field and his many scientific contributions will continue to play a key role. As an example, the criteria that he developed back in 1994 were recently used as a framework to confirm that Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly and other brain defects.

In 2009, the Society’s journal Birth Defects Research (Part A) published a detailed tribute to Dr. Shepard written by friend and colleague Dr. Alan G. Fantel. Dr. Shepard was a regular participant in Teratology Society’s annual meetings, most recently playing an active role in the 2014 meeting which took place in Bellevue, Washington.Dr. Shepard is survived by his wife Gretchen and his three daughters, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.