As an undergrad, his lab work with E. coli ribosomal RNA was fascinating enough to pivot his plans for medical school to a career in scientific research. Today he leads a team focused on accelerating the delivery of high quality products and services to enhance the detection, diagnosis and prevention of infectious disease in the U.S. and around the world.
Shelton Bradrick, Ph.D., is a Senior Science Advisor at MRIGlobal and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Dr. Bradrick specializes in biosurveillance research, development, testing and evaluation. He is an expert in RNA virology, host-pathogen interactions and molecular immunology. Dr. Bradrick has served as a principal investigator on government and commercial projects and provides technical expertise for virology, immunology and cell culture applications.
He is an author of over 55 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals in the fields of virology and RNA biology.
GETTING TO KNOW SHELTON BRADRICK
When did you know you wanted to be a scientist?
I don’t recall a specific instance but I developed curiosity about science early on. Before I could read, I became very fascinated with a series of encyclopedias on various scientific topics and would spend hours gazing at the images. I was amazed by the pictures and artwork associated with astronomy, dinosaurs and human evolution. I was also fascinated by maps and geography. I think this early curiosity fostered my inclination to become a scientist later in life.
What was your pathway to becoming a scientist?
I earned my undergrad degree in Biotechnology at the University of Nebraska-Omaha where I had the opportunity to work in a research lab on structure/function of E. coli ribosomal RNA for two years. This research experience changed the direction of my career from planned medical school to a Ph.D. program in Virology. I earned my Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska Medical Center studying pathogenic RNA viruses related to poliovirus and then completed postdoctoral training on hepatitis C virus at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
What is your role at MRIGlobal?
I was hired as a Senior Science Advisor in August 2019 and currently am a Capability Manager III. I manage staff in the Infectious Diseases, Surveillance and Diagnostics group in the Life Sciences division and direct projects as Principal Investigator. I also serve as a subject matter expert in molecular virology.
What excites you about working at MRIGlobal?
Growing and mentoring the scientific staff. Executing work in our BSL3 containment laboratory. Generating high quality data.
What are your interests outside of work?
Exercise and fitness; sampling beer from local craft breweries, and keeping up on current events.