Prof Ferguson graduated from Queens University of Belfast with degrees in Dentistry (BDS 1st class honours), Anatomy and Embryology (BSc 1st class honours, PhD) and Medical Sciences (DMedSc), and holds Fellowships from the Royal Colleges of Surgeons in Ireland (FFD), and Edinburgh (FDS) and is a Founding Fellow of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci).
Prof Ferguson is the recipient of numerous international research prizes and awards, including the 2002 European Science Prize (jointly), author of 329 papers and book chapters, 61 patent families, author/editor of eight books, supervised 77 PhD students and has been awarded over £70 million in competitive research grants and approximately £100 million in start-up company equity funding. Previously, a Professor and Dean of Biological Sciences at The University of Manchester, he was co-founder and CEO of Renovo Group Plc. Recently Mark has served in Ireland’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, e.g. He served on the EU High Level Group on the impact of H2020 and chaired international committees reviewing the Research and Innovation systems of Denmark, Hungary and Canada. Prof Ferguson is Chair of the European Commission Pilot Advisory Board for the European Innovation Council, a member of the Governing Boards of the Global Research Council and of the European Commission Joint Research Centre and is a founding member of the Small Advanced Economies Initiative.
Ferguson commenced as Director General of SFI in January 2012 and as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland in October 2012. Director General, Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland