Accomplished double devil completes doctorate early with novel gut-brain axis research
College of Health Solutions Outstanding Graduate Student Emily Dow — who earned her bachelor's degree at ASU — completed her PhD in exercise and nutritional sciences in just three years.
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2025 graduates.
College of Health Solutions Outstanding Graduate Student Emily Dow has grown into a highly accomplished doctoral student, completing her PhD in exercise and nutritional sciences in just three years.
During that time, Dow secured over $8,000 in funding for her research and also received the Completion Fellowship, a competitive full-year fellowship offered by the Graduate College that covered both tuition and a monthly stipend.
Associate Professor Cheryl Der Ananian lauded Dow's doctoral research on the gut-brain axis as “interdisciplinary and innovative.” Dow found that vinegar ingestion, when paired with resistance training, significantly improved cognitive performance and brain function in test subjects.
“The gut-brain axis has received much attention from health professionals worldwide, and Emily’s novel approach combining strength training and a simple diet modification may represent a holistic strategy for improving fitness, gut health and brain function,” Der Ananian said. “Her research, academic and professional experiences put her in a strong position for a future career in academia.”
This, however, is not the only noteworthy research Dow conducted over the course of her study.
Dow has published four refereed articles, two of which list her as the first author. In addition, she has completed three clinical trials as part of Senior Associate Dean and Professor Carol Johnston’s lab, as well as for her own research.
In addition to her many academic accomplishments, Dow maintains an informative Instagram profile, @nutritional.gangster, disseminating information about nutrition to an audience of over 7,500 followers. She is also a certified personal trainer, providing more tailored expertise to her client base.
“I have been highly impressed with her diligence, commitment and productivity in the laboratory, in the classroom and as a teaching assistant,” Johnston said.
“I believe a key to her success is that she listens and learns quickly. She is focused and determined to do the best possible in all her efforts. She is a good communicator and very respectful of others, particularly in terms of their time and their viewpoints.”
Question: What was your “aha” moment when you realized you wanted to study the field you majored in?
Answer: I’ve been enamored with science ever since I was a child and actually applied to ASU as an astrophysics major. Once I “retired” from playing sports, however, I discovered exercise and nutrition as scientific fields that have direct relevance to each of us on a daily basis. Almost immediately, I realized that this was the perfect way for me to marry all of my interests together in a way that could positively impact others in a major, quality-of-life enhancing way.
Q: Why did you choose ASU?
A: The first time I chose ASU (for a bachelor's degree), it was truthfully because I was an in-state applicant with a full-ride scholarship, so it made the most practical sense for me to stay in Arizona. After completing my master’s elsewhere, I knew I wanted to come “home” to ASU because of the phenomenal faculty, research excellence and the tremendous amount of opportunity that I no longer took for granted.
Q: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?
A: There are so many, and to my surprise, I actually think the personal lessons were even more valuable than the literal course materials. My graduate experience at ASU taught me how to become an actual scientist rather than just a fangirl. I learned how to accept and apply constructive criticism, I learned how to troubleshoot, I learned how to effectively collaborate with my peers, and I learned how to actually “fail forward.” ASU basically raised me into a mature academic.
Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?
A: Dr. Carol Johnston wasn’t ever my professor, technically, but she was my PhD mentor. She taught me many lessons, but the one I am most grateful for is how to lead others in a compassionate, yet firm, way. She knew exactly how much to let me “struggle” through situations so that I could learn from them without ever feeling unsupported. I’d be fortunate to become half as amazing a mentor as she is.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?
A: At times, being a student can feel much more high-stakes than it actually is. Making mistakes and learning from them is the whole point, and actually, now is the perfect time to fumble around a bit under the safety net of your mentorship team. Embracing the messy parts will relieve a lot of frustration.
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: I’m still a free agent at the moment, but I hope to secure a postdoctoral research position to continue the work that I love most. I’d like to stay in academia, so I’ve also applied to a couple of professor positions. First, I’ll be completing my final dietetic internship rotations over the summer so I can sit for the (registered dietitian) exam.
Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?
A: Oh, gosh. If grad school taught me anything, it’s that $40 million likely wouldn’t go as far as you might think. But it would probably cover a lot of vegetables, so I’d like to feed everybody on the planet lots of fresh produce, potentially by implementing gardening initiatives.
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