Dr. Matt Hirschey
By Eileen O’Connor
Matt Hirschey’s favorite grade school class involved what he de- scribes as “crazy logic puzzles” in which you try to problem solve and restore the order of things. For as long as he can remember he has been drawn to the challenge of problem solving – and to- day it is this passion to answer some of the most challenging ques- tions in the field of Molecular Physiology that motivates Hirschey in his work at Duke University Medical Center, where he is lead- ing a team in FA research.
Dr. Hirschey, an Associate Professor in the Departments of Medi- cine and Pharmacology, traces his interest in physiology and drive to understand how the body works to his background as a com- petitive athlete. A lifelong runner and track and field competi- tor at the University of Vermont, he has always been fascinated by how the body metabolizes and produces energy. Originally Hirschey intended to pursue a medical degree, but his passion for research and problem solving led him to earn a PhD in chemis- try, which he received from the University of California in Santa Barbara.