The John M. Houchens Prize for Outstanding Dissertation

Easton Earl Ford is the winner of the John M. Houchens Prize, which honors a former registrar of the university and is awarded to the doctoral student who presents the most meritorious dissertation for the current commencement.

Easton Earl Ford defended his Ph.D. in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology under the mentorship of Dr. Melissa Smith, focusing on immunogenetics and the role of antibodies in autoimmune diseases. He has played a key role in the development of innovative genomic long red sequencing technologies for studying antibody repertoires and other immune loci, while also mentoring and training students in various areas around the lab.

During his doctoral program, Easton demonstrated remarkable productivity both in research and extracurricular activities. He published in academic journals, including The Journal of Immunology where he received a top read recognition. Additionally, he presented his findings at numerous local, national, and international conferences, including events in Portugal and Australia where he received travel awards. Easton also received the 2024 Outstanding Graduate Student Award and was recognized by the university in a student spotlight article for his work.

Beyond his research, Easton took on leadership, mentorship and teaching roles in student organizations and within the School of Medicine, further contributing to his academic community. Notably, Easton held leadership roles as both President and Vice President of the Science Policy and Outreach Group (S.P.O.G.), an organization committed to fostering dialogue between scientific researchers, the public, and members of Congress to promote mutual understanding and policy collaboration. Additionally, Easton served on the School of Medicine Graduate Council, where he represented all graduate students. In this capacity, he provided counsel to the Dean on key issues such as student benefits and compensation, while also contributing to curriculum reforms for graduate education.

As the Curriculum Committee Representative for the Microbiology and Immunology Student Organization, Easton played a vital role in bridging communication between students and faculty, leading to significant improvements in coursework and candidacy exams. Easton also participated in the Graduate School Mentorship Academy where he received formal training in mentorship while actively mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in the laboratory.

Easton’s nominator notes that “throughout his leadership, Easton has championed outreach initiatives that have positively impacted both the School of Medicine and the broader community in Louisville. His contributions have significantly enhanced the overall graduate student experience at the University.

Before joining the Smith lab, Easton obtained his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Louisville, where he studied the role of Burkholderia cepacia complex, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and how they may impact patients with cystic fibrosis in the lab of Dr. Deborah Yoder-Himes.

Easton’s career goal is to lead an academic lab leveraging immunogenomic approaches to inform treatment of disease and therapeutic design. Outside of the lab, Easton prioritizes spending time with his family and two dogs (Rey and Toby), especially when he can find a free weekend to take climbing trips to Red River Gorge.