Lynnette Ferguson
{{Short description|New Zealand research scientist and geneticist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Lynnette Ferguson
| honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=NZL|QSO|size=100%}}
| image = Lynnette Ferguson in 2020 (cropped).jpg
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| caption = Ferguson in 2020
| birth_name = Lynnette Robin Ferguson
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| fields = Nutritional genomics
| workplaces = University of Auckland
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| alma_mater = University of Oxford
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| thesis1_title = The control of DNA repair in yeast
| thesis1_year = 1975
| thesis1_url = https://solo.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/permalink/f/89vilt/oxfaleph010969843
}}
Lynnette Robin Ferguson {{Post-nominals|country=NZL|QSO}} is a New Zealand academic, and as of 2021 is an emeritus professor at the University of Auckland. Ferguson has been a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi since 2016.
Academic career
Ferguson says she initially wanted to be a hairdresser, until a stint at hairdressing school showed her she did not have the talent or interest for it.{{Cite web|title=Emeritus Professor Lynnette Ferguson|url=https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/2058-emeritus-professor-lynnette-ferguson|access-date=2021-10-11|website=Science Learning Hub|language=en|archive-date=31 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131124027/https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/2058-emeritus-professor-lynnette-ferguson|url-status=live}}
After completing a Masters of Science with Honours at the University of Auckland, Ferguson completed a DPhil at the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, in 1975, with a thesis titled The Control of DNA Repair in Yeast.{{Cite web|last=Ferguson|first=Lynnette|date=1975|title=The control of DNA repair in yeast|url=https://solo.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=oxfaleph010969843&vid=SOLO&search_scope=LSCOP_ALL&tab=local&lang=en_US&context=L|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-11|website=solo.bodleian.ox.ac.uk|language=en|archive-date=18 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018011911/https://solo.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=oxfaleph010969843&vid=SOLO&search_scope=LSCOP_ALL&tab=local&lang=en_US&context=L}} She returned to the University of Auckland School of Medicine for post-doctoral work, and then became an Auckland Cancer Society research career fellow.
Ferguson was promoted to full professor at the University of Auckland in 2000, when she established a new Department of Nutrition.{{Cite web|title=Lynnette Ferguson {{!}} Auckland University, New Zealand {{!}} Allied Academies|url=https://alliedacademies.com/profile/Lynnette%20Ferguson|access-date=2021-10-11|website=alliedacademies.com|archive-date=27 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527214217/https://alliedacademies.com/profile/Lynnette%20Ferguson|url-status=live}} She is now a emeritus professor at the University of Auckland.
Ferguson works on nutritional genomics, mutagenesis and the causes and control of chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease. She has also worked on genes associated with satiety, the feeling of fullness after eating.{{Cite web|title=Genetic tests reveal need for vitamins|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/genetic-tests-reveal-need-for-vitamins/ENMHQZZC7NXPF5MJT5G4OSFCRI/|access-date=2021-10-11|website=NZ Herald|language=en-NZ|archive-date=18 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018011912/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/genetic-tests-reveal-need-for-vitamins/ENMHQZZC7NXPF5MJT5G4OSFCRI/|url-status=live}}
For ten years, Ferguson led Nutrigenomics New Zealand, which was a partnership between the University of Auckland, and three Crown Research Institutes: Crop & Food Research, AgResearch and HortResearch. Research focused on the genetics of inflammatory bowel disease and how personalised dietary changes could influence disease. This led to the first international conference on nutrigenomics and gut health, in 2006.{{CiteQ|Q36776634}}
Honours and awards
In the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours, Ferguson was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.{{Cite web|title=THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS 2006 - 2006-vr3819 - New Zealand Gazette|url=https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2006-vr3819|access-date=2021-10-11|website=gazette.govt.nz|archive-date=27 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227041650/https://www.gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2006-vr3819|url-status=live}}
Ferguson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi in 2016.{{Cite web|title=Lynnette Ferguson|url=https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/who-we-are/our-people/our-fellows/view-our-fellows/|access-date=2021-10-11|website=Royal Society Te Apārangi|archive-date=7 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007100927/https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/who-we-are/our-people/our-fellows/view-our-fellows/|url-status=live}} She is also a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology.{{Cite web|title=Emeritus Professor Lynnette Ferguson - The University of Auckland|url=https://unidirectory.auckland.ac.nz/profile/l-ferguson|access-date=2021-10-11|website=unidirectory.auckland.ac.nz|archive-date=14 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214065024/https://unidirectory.auckland.ac.nz/profile/l-ferguson|url-status=live}}
Selected works
{{Scholia|Q42368330}}
- {{CiteQ|Q22251082}}
- {{CiteQ|Q34213985}}
- {{CiteQ|Q36468290}}
- {{CiteQ|Q36233609}}
- {{CiteQ|Q22252367}}
- {{CiteQ|Q40388689}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ourchangingworld/audio/1024667/nutrigenomics-health Interview with Ferguson, explaining the concept of nutrigenomics] on Our Changing World, Radio New Zealand
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferguson, Lynnette}}
Category:New Zealand women academics
Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford
Category:Academic staff of the University of Auckland
Category:University of Auckland alumni
Category:Companions of the Queen's Service Order