'''Thomas Herald Rea''' (1929 – February 7, 2016) was an American dermatologist known for his research into treatments for leprosy.<ref>[http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016/03/06/Dr-Thomas-Rea-father-of-leprosy-treatment-dies-at-86/2501457293779/ Dr. Thomas Rea, father of leprosy treatment, dies at 86 - UPI.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==Early life== Rea was born in 1929 in Three Rivers, Michigan.<ref name="lat">{{cite web | url=http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-thomas-rea-20160305-story.html | title=Thomas Rea dies at 86; dermatologist paved the way for treatment of leprosy | work=Los Angeles Times | date=5 March 2016 | accessdate=7 March 2016 | author=Karlamangla, Soumya}}</ref> He graduated from Oberlin College in Ohio and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor's medical school, where he also completed his dermatology residency.<ref name=lat/>
==Career== Rea worked for the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Korea and in the dermatology department at New York University before moving to Los Angeles in 1970.<ref name=lat/> From 1981 to 1996, he was the head of the dermatology division at University of Southern California.<ref name=lat/>
==Work== Rea and his colleague Robert Modlin researched the role the immune system played in symptoms of leprosy, which led to the development of new treatments for the disease that rendered it non-contagious and allowed leprosy patients to live normal lives.<ref name=lat/> Rea also supported the use of thalidomide to treat a complication of leprosy.<ref name=lat/>
==Death== Rea died on February 7, 2016, at his home in the San Gabriel Mountains, after a battle with cancer.<ref name=lat/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rea, Thomas Herald}} Category:1929 births Category:2016 deaths Category:American dermatologists Category:People from Three Rivers, Michigan Category:Oberlin College alumni Category:University of Michigan Medical School alumni Category:University of Southern California faculty Category:Deaths from cancer in California