Morgan Duff

Microbiology & Immunology

My name is Morgan Duff and I am a third year graduate student in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. I attended Western Kentucky University for my undergraduate degree as a Music major with a focus on Bassoon. However, I had no idea what I planned to do after I graduated and eventually added a Chemistry and Biology major as well. It wasn’t until my junior year of college when I participated in a Biochemistry REU program at Texas A&M university that I started falling in love with research, and this was solidified after I spent a semester doing Molecular Biology Research at Leiden University in the Netherlands my senior year. Currently, I am in Nathan Schmidt’s lab working on a project to determine the impact of the gut microbiota on the immune response to malaria. I recently was one of the recipients of a T32 pre-doctoral training grant in Inflammation and Pathogenesis, and am super excited to see how this award provides opportunities for me to grow both in the lab and professionally.  

When I’m not in lab, I love working in my garden, practicing my bassoon, and spending time with my cat. I also am involved with my church, Southeast Christian, and love leading High School and College community groups as well as serving on the leadership team of our College-Age Ministry. As a scientist, one of my biggest passions is—having grown up in the Bible belt and still being very involved with my church as an adult—communicating how the Bible and Science can be compatible. Though I am not entirely sure what I am planning to do after I graduate, I love teaching and hope to be able to play a role in the education of both scientists and nonscientists alike throughout my career.