Sir Michael Anthony John Ferguson (born February 1957) is a British biochemist and Regius Professor of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee. His research team are based at the School of Life Sciences,

University of Dundee The University of Dundee is a public research university based in Dundee, Scotland. It was founded as a university college in 1881 with a donation from the prominent Baxter family of textile manufacturers. The institution was, for most of its ...

Career

After education at

St Peter's School, York St Peter's School is a mixed-sex education, co-educational Private schools in the United Kingdom, private boarding and day school (also referred to as a Public school (United Kingdom), public school), in the English City of York, with extensive ...

, he received a BSc degree in biochemistry from the

University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) was a university based in the centre of the city of Manchester in England. It specialised in technical and scientific subjects and was a major centre for Research univer ...

in 1979 and a

PhD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

degree in biochemistry by

London University The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degr ...

in 1982. He was a

postdoctoral fellow A postdoctoral fellow, postdoctoral researcher, or simply postdoc, is a person professionally conducting research after the completion of their doctoral studies (typically a PhD). Postdocs most commonly, but not always, have a temporary academ ...

at the

Rockefeller University The Rockefeller University is a Private university, private Medical research, biomedical Research university, research and graduate-only university in New York City, New York. It focuses primarily on the biological and medical sciences and pro ...

, New York (1982–85) and at

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

(1985–88). He then accepted a lectureship at the University of Dundee and was promoted to Professor of Molecular Parasitology in 1994. He became Dean of Research for the School of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee in 2007, a position he held until 2014. He was a member of the board of governors of the Wellcome Trust (2012–2021), also serving as Deputy Chair (2018–2021). He is a member of the board of directors of the Medicines for Malaria Venture.

Honours and awards

*1991: awarded

Colworth Medal The Colworth Medal is awarded annually by the Biochemical Society to an outstanding research biochemist under the age of 35 and working mainly in the United Kingdom. The award is one of the most prestigious recognitions for young scientists in the ...

by the

Biochemical Society The Biochemical Society is a learned society in the United Kingdom in the field of biochemistry, including all the cellular and molecular biosciences. It was founded in 1911 and acquired the existing '' Biochemical Journal'' the following year. T ...

to "the most promising young biochemist under 35" *1993-98: Howard Hughes International Research Scholarship *1994: elected a fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was establis ...

*1996: awarded Makdougall Brisbane Prize of the Royal Society of Edinburgh for "particular distinction in the promotion of scientific research". *1999: International Glycoconjugate Organisation Award. A biennial award made to "a scientist who has clearly advanced the field of glycoscience and shows promise of continuing advancements". *1999: elected a member of The

European Molecular Biology Organisation The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) is a professional, non-profit organization of more than 2,100 life scientists. Its goal is to promote research in life science and enable international exchange between scientists. It co-funds cour ...

). *2000: elected a

Fellow of The Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the Fellows of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

(London). *2006: awarded the C.A. Wright Medal of the

British Society for Parasitology The British Society for Parasitology is a UK-based organisation of British parasitologists. It was founded in April 1962 from the Parasitological Section of the Institute of Biology. The initial goals of the society were to hold two meetings yearly ...

. *2007: elected a Fellow of The Academy of Medical Sciences *2008: invested

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(CBE) for services to science. *2012: appointed a member of the Board of Governors of The Wellcome Trust *2013: appointed Regius Professor of Life Sciences *2019: invested

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised Order of chivalry, orders of chivalry; it is a part of the Orders, decorations, and medals ...

for services to science.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferguson, Michael Living people 1957 births Alumni of the University of Manchester Alumni of the University of London Fellows of the Royal Society Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Knights Bachelor British biochemists Scientists from County Durham Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Academics of the University of Dundee People educated at St Peter's School, York