Dr. Thornton is an Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy and Director of the Prescription Drug Misuse Education and Research (PREMIER) Center at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy. Dr. Thornton practiced as a board-certified, clinical pharmacist while completing his Ph.D. in Health Services and Outcomes Research at West Virginia University. Before finishing the Ph.D. in 2017, he graduated from the West Virginia University School of Pharmacy with a professional pharmacy degree (Pharm.D.) and completed a post-graduate year-1 pharmacy practice residency at Saint Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington, W.V., where he saw opioid abuse destroying lives and families first-hand. His research focuses on optimizing the management of pain and opioid use disorder though the effective use of medications and related health care services. He is currently working with multiple funders including NIDA, SAMHSA, and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to prevent prescription drug misuse in Texas and beyond. He represents Region 3 (the greater Houston area) on the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council.