Dr. Christenson is professor of pathology and professor of medical and research technology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. He principal investigator for a research laboratory that specializes in government- and industry-sponsored clinical trials and has an active research program in biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and renal dysfunction. . Clinically, he is medical director of the clinical chemistry, toxicology, and core laboratories as well as medical director of point-of-care services at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Dr. Christenson has been active in his ‘home’ professional association-the American Association for Clinical Chemistry- for 30 years, and has served as Secretary and as a Board of Directors member. Dr. Christenson was elected president of the The  AACC in 2013, the inaugural year of a new strategic plan that renewed the organization’s focus on its fundamental pillars. He has chaired a number of AACC committees over the years. Internationally, Dr. Christenson has served the IFCC where he has been a frequent lecturer at WorldLab symposium. Dr. Christenson has held membership in and chaired on the Evidence Based Laboratory Medicine Committee. He has also been an active member of the Value Proposition in Laboratory Medicine Committee for two term and he currently chairs the Workgroup for Cardiac Troponin Standardization. Dr. Christenson is also active in clinical organizaitons. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and has held a professional leadership position aas a including as a member of the ACC’s Accreditation Management Board. Dr. Christenson is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine and is a contributor to Medscape. Dr. Christenson has lectured widely on Biomarkers, the value of laboratory testing and POC testing in the USA and around the world.