Gerald V. Quinnan, Jr., received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from the College of Holy Cross (Massachusetts) in 1969 and graduated cum laude from St. Louis University Medical School in 1973.

He completed internship and residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in adult infectious disease at Boston University Medical Center from 1973 to 1977.

Dr. Quinnan became a commissioned officer in the Public Health Service in 1977 and was assigned to the Division of Virology in the FDA Bureau of Biologics (formerly the National Institutes of Health [NIH] Division of Biologics Standards [DBS]). 

In 1980, Dr. Quinnan was appointed Director of the Herpes Virus Branch of the Division of Virology. From 1980 to 1981 he was also the Acting Deputy Division Director. Dr. Quinnan then became the Director of the Division of Virology in 1981.