Dr. Ferguson completed a BA in Human Genetics at Trinity College Dublin, and a PhD in Nutrigenomics at University College Dublin, Ireland, before moving to Philadelphia for postdoctoral training in Cardiovascular Genomics at the University of Pennsylvania. She moved to Nashville to join the faculty at Vanderbilt in October 2014.
Candy or Flowers?
Candy!
When you were 5, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an inventor.
How, when, and why did you decide to become a scientist?
I was an impressionable 13 year old when they cloned Dolly the Sheep, and I became fascinated by genetics! When I found out that there was a course in Human Genetics at my local university (Trinity College Dublin), I knew that was the choice for me. Dolly the sheep was apparently named after Dolly Parton, so it feels like I came full circle by ending up in Nashville where I could experience up-close what a National Treasure Dolly Parton really is!
How long have you been at VU/VUMC and what is your roll?
I have been a PI at VUMC since 2014, and was recently promoted to Associate Professor.
Ferguson Lab:
Holly Smith (Lab Manager), Jane Ferguson (PI), Stacy Desine (Clinical Coordinator)
Chuan Wang (Postdoc), Minoo Bagheri (Postdoc)
What does your lab do/study?
We are interested in what predisposes people to developing cardiometabolic diseases. We use human genetics, human subjects, big data, and cell models to understand the genetic and environmental determinants of disease.
How do you foresee these discoveries impacting human health?
We are trying to identify new pathways and mechanisms that lead to disease, as well as understanding whether there are modifiable components (e.g. diet, microbiome) that influence those pathways. I hope our research can shed light on a disease pathway that can be modified in at-risk individuals, to slow disease progression, or to prevent people from developing disease in the first place.
What is one topic in your field that you are excited about right now?
The microbiome! We've been excited about this for several years, but as the field is rapidly moving forward, we are learning more and the available tools and approaches are becoming more sophisticated.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to a new graduate student?
You will come to a point where you feel like you don't know anything. That’s ok! It’s good – it means you’ve reached the point where you’re pushing knowledge forward. Even the most senior researchers still feel that way sometimes. So don’t let that put you off, or make you feel like you don’t belong in science. Just stay curious and keep learning - we’re all figuring this out together!
The Ferguson lab in action!
