In July 2023, we changed our name from AACC (short for the American Association for Clinical Chemistry) to the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM). The following page was written prior to this rebranding and contains mentions of the association’s old name. It may contain other out-of-date information as well.
Past President's Award
Robert H. Christenson, PhD
Dr. Christenson is professor of pathology and professor of medical and research technology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. He is director of the clinical chemistry, toxicology, and core laboratories as well as medical director of point-of-care services at the University of Maryland Medical Center. He directs a research laboratory that specializes in government- and industry-sponsored clinical trials and has an active research program in biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and renal dysfunction. Dr. Christenson led the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) through another successful year in 2013, the inaugural year of a new strategic plan that renews the organization's focus on its fundamental pillars. AACC formally received a $3 million endowment from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation to fund its emerging countries activities. Dr. Christenson conducted planning sessions with the Association's leadership to establish the direction of its global strategy. He worked with the professional staff to create a culture of organized development and fiscal responsibility that frees a portion of reserve funds for use on several new strategic projects and emphasizes the use of formal business plans. He established a task force to map the future and develop a financial strategy for the long-term sustainability of the Clinical Chemistry Trainee Council, a visionary program to promote laboratory medicine worldwide. The publication world is undergoing a game-changing transformation that has created new models of disseminating knowledge, so he formed a task force to explore how a new AACC journal could meet this challenge. Perhaps Dr. Christenson's most important action was to "close the deal" to bring Janet Kreizman on board as the chief executive officer, a move that promises a vibrant future for AACC.
2005 Outstanding Contributions in Education
Robert H. Christenson, PhD, DABCC, FACB, is professor of pathology and professor of medical and research technology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.
He is director of the clinical chemistry, toxicology, and rapid response laboratories and director of point-of-care services at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Teaching clinical laboratory medicine to undergraduate and graduate students, medical students, residents, and fellows has been a primary activity for Dr. Christenson. He has delivered lectures on a variety of topics to clinicians and laboratorians at all levels of training and experience; he has also served as a mentor to numerous graduate and undergraduate students and directs the University of Maryland's postdoctoral training program.
Dr. Christenson has chaired the board of editors of Clinical Laboratory News and is currently a member of the editorial boards of Clinical Chemistry and the Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Analysis; he is associate editor of Clinical Biochemistry.
Dr. Christenson has served AACC as a member of the board of directors, as national secretary, as chair of the annual meeting, and as current chair of the Evidence Based Medicine Group.
He has also been a member of the board of directors of the NACB. Dr. Christenson is a representative on the NIH National Heart Attack Alert Program and has an active research program in the area of cardiac biomarkers.
He holds 3 patents and has published more than 130 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 160 abstracts, 2 books, and 40 book chapters and monographs.