World-class taste researcher Robert Bradley retires after 47 years at school
Robert M. Bradley, Ph.D., professor of dentistry and professor of molecular and integrative physiology at the Michigan Medical School, retired from active faculty status on Dec. 31, 2019. He was a faculty member at the School of Dentistry for 47 years.
Professor Bradley, a sensory physiologist, is internationally recognized for his contributions to understanding the sense of taste. His research focused on development and maturation of taste receptor cells and processing of taste information by the brainstem. He pioneered the use of new methods to gain knowledge of the complex circuits underlying taste salivary reflexes.
Robert Bradley
Bradley joined the dental school as an assistant professor in 1972. He was promoted to associate professor in 1975 and professor in 1979. He held a joint appointment in the Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology at the Medical School since 1980. He served the dental school’s Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences as acting chair (1994-1995), chair (2003-2005), acting chair (2102-2013) and interim chair (2016-2017).
He co-authored over 90 peer reviewed publications, published three books, and 25 book chapters.
He continually received grant support since 1973, served on numerous study sections and refereed multiple high-impact journals. He was a Fulbright Scholar (1964-1970); received the Claude Pepper Award from the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (1990); the Max Mozell Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Chemical Senses from the Association for Chemoreception Sciences (2003); and was a Senior Fellow in the Michigan Society of Fellows (2013-2016).
He received his BDS, LDS (1963) from the Royal Dental Hospital, University of London, his MSD in Periodontics (1966) from the University of Washington, and PhD (1970) from Florida State University. He completed his post-doctoral training in 1972 at the Nuffield Institute for Medical Research, Oxford, England. He became a Dental House Surgeon at the Royal Dental Hospital in 1963 and a Dental House Officer at St. Mary’s Hospital in 1964, both in London, England.
Peter Polverini, the Jonathan Taft Distinguished University Professor of Dentistry and former dean of the dental school, once described the soft-spoken Bradley in a letter of recommendation as “a remarkable mentor, scholar, motivator, administrator, and spokesman for the University of Michigan.” Citing Bradley’s “essential combination of enthusiasm, experience, and leadership skills,” Polverini noted: “Robert has lectured throughout the world and has chaired many national and international committees and thus has a broad vision of science and education.”
Deb Keedy, administrative specialist in the Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics Department, applauded Bradley’s willingness to serve four times as chair or interim chair of the department. Leading such a diverse department with both clinical and research arms is difficult, she said, but Bradley brought a steady demeanor to the task.
“Not everyone is capable of stepping into a short-term position. It means taking over where someone left off, keeping things running in the midst of ever-changing times and practices, and then handing over a fine-tuned machine when the time is up,” Keedy said. “Maybe because he’s such a successful researcher, he does his fact-finding, considers the equations, and makes sound decisions. I really appreciate his leadership and am very grateful for his service to our department.”
