Duncan Ferguson
Professor and Department Head, Veterinary Biosciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
VMD: 1979
PhD: 1982
Graduate Group: Pharmacology
Thesis Topic: Tyroid hormone metabolism in the isolated perfused rat kidney
Dr. Ferguson is interested in the interaction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis nutrient metabolism and vice versa. Current basic research interests include: 1) the effects of thyroid disrupting compounds such as organohalides, bisphenol A and soy isoflavones in the environment and diet on neurodevelopment using rodent models and human embryonic stem cells, and 2) the interplay between the HPT, dietary components, and energy metabolism using the obese cat as a model of insulin resistance. Collaborative work includes the application of non-invasive techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (MRI) for the study of intermediary metabolism. A veterinary clinical pharmacologist, he is also interested in comparative pharmacology and veterinary clinical endocrinology, and has focused attention on the improvement of thyroid function tests in domestic animals.