Knoxville Research Director Wins First Campus-Wide Honor

When Jennifer Ferris joined UT Health Sciences in Knoxville in 2016, she asked a simple question: where are the standard operating procedures? The answer she got said everything: "What is that?"

Eight years later, Ferris received the 2025 Alston Exempt Staff Award, becoming the first person from the Knoxville campus to earn the university-wide honor. The recognition caps a remarkable transformation of how medical research happens in eastern Tennessee.

Ferris arrived as a single clinical trial coordinator and found enthusiasm for research but almost no systems to support it. Investigators wanted to conduct studies but lacked clear compliance pathways, quality assurance processes, or logistical support. Many were new to investigator-initiated research and unsure where to start.

Instead of imposing barriers, Ferris built bridges. She worked with hospital leadership to create standard operating procedures and turned compliance checks into teaching moments. Her team started conducting pre-submission feasibility assessments, asking critical questions before studies launched: Who consents patients? Where will visits happen? How long will participants be on campus?

These simple questions prevented problems that used to derail studies after IRB approval. Investigators now get support from protocol development through execution, not just regulatory oversight.

Under her leadership, the Office of Research Support grew from one person to 17 research professionals. Ferris also helped create a professional advancement pathway for research coordinators, giving team members room to build careers instead of just filling positions.

Her success comes from rare experience bridging two worlds. She spent 14 years in industry-sponsored clinical trials before joining academia, giving her insight into both environments. That background helped her bring strong quality standards without losing the flexibility academic research requires.

The Ripple Effect

The impact extends beyond policies and procedures. Faculty who once struggled with regulatory requirements now have a team guiding them through each step. Research coordinators who might have left for other opportunities now see clear paths for advancement. The campus that felt overlooked in a larger university system now sits at the table.

"For years, we talked about building a more collaborative environment across our institutions, and now we're actually doing it," Ferris said. "We feel seen."

Dr. Rajiv Dhand, former chair of the Department of Medicine, watched Ferris evolve from coordinator to strategic leader. "She quickly developed the infrastructure to conduct investigator-initiated prospective studies," he said. "Soon she was contributing ideas and designs for new studies."

The award recognizes more than individual achievement. It represents what happens when someone sees a gap and spends years steadily filling it, when expertise meets dedication, when one person's vision lifts an entire community.

Knoxville's research landscape looks nothing like it did in 2016, and that transformation started with someone willing to ask hard questions and build solutions one process at a time.