Curt Scharfe

Dr. Curt Scharfe is the Director of Early Check, a statewide voluntary research program piloting genomic newborn screening (NBS) for conditions not yet included on standard panels. He brings over a decade of experience in molecular diagnostics, genetic result return, and National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded basic and translational research. His work focuses on common and rare genetic disorders, with an emphasis on genome technology development for NBS and gene therapy/gene editing. He is a collaborative leader with extensive experience in multi-site research, implementation science, and public health programs and is a national contributor to the development of tools, infrastructure, and evidence-based guidelines that inform newborn screening policy and practice.

Prior to joining RTI, Dr. Scharfe advanced genome sequencing, targeted metabolomics, and AI/ML-based tools using dried blood spots and collaborated widely with public health NBS programs to scale multiplex molecular screening for conditions such as cystic fibrosis and metabolic disorders. He also has extensive experience translating complex technologies into practical, scalable solutions for clinical and public health use. He served as Co-Chair of the Newborn Screening Translational Research Network (NBSTRN) Researcher Needs Workgroup and holds an adjunct faculty appointment in Genetics at Yale School of Medicine to support cross-institutional collaboration and ongoing technology innovation.

Dr. Scharfe is board certified in clinical molecular genetics by the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics. He is also a member of the Association of Molecular Pathology and the American College of Medical Genetics.