Brooke N. Wolford has a PhD in Bioinformatics and Master in Statistics from the University of Michigan. She is currently a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow in the HUNT Center for Molecular and Clinical Epidemiology (formerly the K.G. Jebsen Center for Genetic Epidemiology) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in the Department for Public Health and Nursing under the mentorship of Professor Kristian Hveem. Brooke’s main focus is on developing precision medicine approaches to prevent heart disease through the Proteomics for Heart Disease Prediction (ProtectHearts) project. Brooke is also working with the INTERVENE Project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the leadership of Dr. Andrea Ganna and Professor Samuli Ripatti at the Finnish Institute for Molecular Medicine. Brooke is pursuing a research career combining quantitative genomics, computational biology, and clinical application to fulfill the promise of Precision Medicine.

Brooke has been recognized for her research as a 2022 finalist and 2021 semi-finalist of the American Society of Human Genetics Trainee Research Excellence Award. She was also recognized for her efforts in science communication with the 2022 and 2023 K.G. Jebsen Award for Best Dissemination. In 2019 she was awarded the University of Michigan Program in Biomedical Sciences 20th Anniversary Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Research, Teaching, Service, and Promotion of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

During her graduate studies she was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow and Genome Sciences Predoctoral Trainee. She completed a dissertation titled “Genetic Discovery and Precision Medicine in Cardiovascular Diseases Using Electronic Health Record-linked Biobanks” under the mentorship of Dr. Cristen Willer and Dr. Michael Boehnke. Before graduate school, Brooke spent two years as a postbaccalaureate intramural research trainee in the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD studying the genetics of type 2 diabetes with Dr. Francis Collins.

Brooke is a native of North Carolina and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Quantitative Biology having earned highest honors and highest distinction as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society. Brooke’s interest in genetics began during childhood and became part of her career goals during Molecular and Classical Genetics high school courses at the North Carolina School of Science and Math. Outside of research, you may find Brooke reading in a hammock overlooking the fjord, but she also enjoys teaching science and computer programming to K-12 students, science communication, hiking, and running.