The following post was submitted by the Toxicology Graduate Program.
Earl Ford IV is the definition of a graduate student leaving no stone unturned. He didn’t just complete his Ph.D. in four years; he did it while completing a double major in toxicology and pharmacology. After initially entering the Toxicology Graduate Program, Ford recognized the connection between toxicology and pharmacology, and added the second discipline to his degree program. This included supplemental coursework taken at UNC-Chapel Hill.
As the final Ph.D. student of Ronald Baynes before his retirement, Ford has solidified the lab’s legacy. He initially was funded by a two-year fellowship through NC State’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences T32 training grant, “Molecular Pathways to Pathogenesis in Toxicology.” He also demonstrated a strong commitment to education and teaching. Transitioning from his fellowship to a teaching assistantship, Ford became a staple of BIO 181 and BIO 183 courses. Under the mentorship of Miriam Ferzli, he went well beyond the typical TA duties. These included delivering guest lectures and providing supplemental instruction for the students — a rarity for graduate students as they usually oversee the lab sections of the course.
Recognizing his passion for teaching, Ford realized the importance of training offered by the Graduate School. He completed the Basic Teaching Certificate, the Advanced Teaching Certificate, and Preparing the Professoriate, a year-long program.
Ford has also been recognized for his outstanding science over the years:
- Placing in the top 3 of the poster session at the Integrative Symposium of NC State Training Grants – January 2026
- Litwick Award Winner – College of Veterinary Medicine
- Ernest Hodgson Travel Award Winner – Toxicology Graduate Program
- Presented his research at the National Pain in Animals Conference, September 2025
- Participating and presenting at local and national Society of Toxicology conferences
- Participating and presenting at the national American Association of Veterinary Pharmaceuticals and Therapeutics Conference
- Three papers in publication
- Three papers in preparation for submission
Ford served as a mentor for numerous undergraduate students in Baynes’ lab and is featured prominently in the toxicology recruitment video. He has a unique ability to take science and make it relatable to any audience. This is a skill that will serve him well as he continues his research and teaching as a Pharmacology Postdoctoral Fellow in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University. He will work under the mentorship of Mike Apley in the Department of Anatomy and Physiology. Ford is a testament to what is possible when you take full advantage of every opportunity available at NC State and in the Research Triangle.
Ford came to NC State from Mercer University, where he was heavily involved in athletics as an undergraduate student and completed his master’s degree at the university’s School of Medicine. He’s worked on numerous model organisms, but if you had to ask, he would probably say the rat is his least favorite.
