Illinois Directory

• PhD, University of Pennsylvania, Pharmacology, 1982
• VMD, University of Pennsylvania, 1979
• AB, Dartmouth College, 1975

• 1975-1981: National Institutes of Health Veterinary Medical Scientist (VMD/PhD)Training Program - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
• 1981-1983: Resident in Small Animal Medicine, Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
• 1983-1986: Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• 1986-1989: Assistant Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology and of Small Animal Medicine, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA
• 1989-1994: Associate Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology and of Small Animal Medicine, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine
• 1994-2006: Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology and of Small Animal Medicine, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine
• 2004-2006: Director, Veterinary Medical Scientist (DVM/PhD) Training Program, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine
• 2006-present: Head and Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Veterinary Biosciences (now Comparative Biosciences), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
• 2007-present: Program Supervisor: American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology - approved residency in Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology

In today's world, information is abundant and easy to obtain. Our greatest challenge is to teach students to be good consumers of information and to think critically.

• Veterinary Physiology (VM 602, VM 603)
• Veterinary Pharmacology (VM605)
• Rotations in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (VM 601 and VM 606)
• Advanced Therapeutics (CB 646)
• Basic Toxicology (CB 449)
• Systems Toxicology (CB 454)
• Comparative Clinical Pharmacology (CB 564)
• Ecotoxicology North America (CB 551)

• Comparative thyroidology and endocrinology
• Veterinary clinical pharmacology
• Effect of environmental and nutritional compounds on the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis and neurodevelopment

• NIEHS Environmental Toxicology Training Program
• Division of Nutritional Sciences
• Neuroscience Program
• Steering committee, Division of Biomedical Sciences

• 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
• 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.
• Veterinary translational research interests include studies to improve thyroid function tests in domestic animals, the etiopathogenesis of feline hyperthyroidism, and the impact of naturally occurring obesity on glucose metabolism in cats.

Cloning, sequencing and expression of thyrotropin in dogs, horses and cats.

1990: Co-founded Veterinary Information Network

• 1975: Phi Beta Kappa
• 1978: Phi Zeta
• 1995: American Animal Hospital Special Recognition Award: "For contributions and advancement of electronic on-line communications in the veterinary profession"
• 2010: Morris Animal Foundation: Small Animal Scientific Advisory Board Lifetime Achievement Award

• Sharlin DS, Gilbert ME, Taylor MA, Ferguson DC, Zoeller RT. The nature of the compensatory response to low thyroid hormone in the developing brain. J Neuroendocrinol. 22(3):153-65, 2010.
• Hoenig M, Jordan ET, Ferguson DC, de Vries F. Oral glucose leads to a differential response in glucose, insulin, and GLP-1 in lean versus obese cats. Domest Anim Endocrinol. 38(2):95-102, 2010.
• Harris CA, Fisher JW, Rollor III EA, Ferguson DC, Blount BC, Valentin-Blasini L, Taylor MA, Dallas CE: Evaluation of Potassium Iodide (KI) and Ammonium Perchlorate (NH4ClO4) to Ameliorate 131I- Exposure in the Rat. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 72(14):909-14, 2009.
• Kley S, Hoenig M, Glushka J, Jin ES, Burgess SC, Waldron M, Jordan ET, Prestegard JH, Ferguson DC, Wu S, Olson DE. The impact of obesity, gender and diet on hepatic glucose production in cats. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 296: R936-R943, 2009.
• Dirikolu, L, Yohn, R, Garrett E, Chakkath T, Ferguson, DC: Detection, quantification and pharmacokinetics of toltrazuril sulfone in cattle. J. Vet. Pharmacol. Therap., 32:280-288, 2009.
• Taylor MA, Swant J, Wagner JJ, Fisher JW, Ferguson DC. Lower thyroid compensatory reserve of rat pups after maternal hypothyroidism: correlation of thyroid, hepatic and cerebrocortical biomarkers with hippocampal neurophysiology. Endocrinology 149(7):3521-30, 2008.
• Kley S, Caffall Z, Tittle E, Ferguson DC, Hoenig M. Development of a feline proinsulin immunoradiometric assay and a feline proinsulin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA): a novel application to examine beta cell function in cats. Domest Anim Endocrinol. 34(3):311-8, 2008.
• Hoenig M, Caffall Z, Ferguson DC. Triiodothyronine differentially regulates key metabolic factors in lean and obese cats. Domest Anim Endocrinol. 34(3):229-37, 2008.
• Ferguson DC, Caffall Z, Hoenig M. Obesity increases free thyroxine proportionally to nonesterified fatty acid concentrations in adult neutered female cats. J Endocrinol. 194(2):267-73, 2007.
• Book chapters:
• Rayalam S, Hoenig MH, Ferguson DC: Hypothalamic and Pituitary Hormones, in Riviere JE, Papich M (eds): Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 9th ed., Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 693-716, 2009.
• Ferguson DC. Thyroid Hormones and Antithyroid Drugs, in Riviere JE, Papich M (eds): Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 9th ed., Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 735-770, 2009.
• Ferguson DC, Dirikolu L, Hoenig M. Adrenal Corticosteroids, Mineralocorticoids, and Steroid Synthesis Inhibitors, in Riviere JE, Papich M (eds): Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 9th ed., Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 771-802, 2009.
• Ferguson DC. Testing for hypothyroidism in dogs. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 37(4):647-69, 2007.
• Additional Publications

• Fellow, American Academy of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• American Veterinary Medical Association
• Society for Comparative Endocrinology -charter member
• American Thyroid Association
• European Association for the Study of Diabetes

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal)
• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology

• Department of Comparative Biosciences
• Research Training Program in Environmental Toxicology, Faculty
• Division of Nutritional Sciences
• Neuroscience Program
• Division of Biomedical Sciences