Dr. Thomas Bird

Dr. Bird is a clinical neurogeneticist with interests in a wide range of hereditary disorders of the nervous system. In 1974, Dr. Thomas Bird founded the first clinic for adults with neurogenetic diseases in the United States. For more than 40 years, he directed this clinic at the University of Washington where he saw thousands of patients and conducted pioneering research on conditions such as cerebellar ataxia, movement disorders, hereditary neuropathy, muscular dystrophies, and familial dementias. Over his career, he has been honored with numerous national awards and lauded for his discoveries about the genetics of hereditary neurological disorders including Alzheimer and Huntington diseases. Although retired from clinical practice, Dr. Bird still actively researches genetic diseases of the brain and neuromuscular system; collaborates with molecular biologists and others on genetics projects; and mentors physicians in training and research fellows. He earned his M.D. from Cornell Medical College and is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He lives in Lake Forest Park, WA, just outside Seattle, with his wife Ros.