Madison Dirks (MS, chemistry, 2021; MS, biomolecular sciences, 2024; PhD, biomolecular sciences, 2026) came to Boise State in 2019 from her hometown of Richland, Washington, to study poisonous plants.
Today, she’s helping revolutionize how we understand proteins in our milk. The journey between those areas of study was more of a leap than a linear path.
As a doctoral student, Dirks dove into natural products chemistry, researching Veratrum californicum. This highly toxic, six-foot-tall, corn-like plant can cause birth defects in livestock when grazed during early pregnancy. When she finished her master’s, a surprising opportunity came along thanks to Owen McDougal, a chemistry professor and her mentor – the chance to pursue a degree focused on dairy research, a turn from everything she had studied so far.
Her hesitation gave way to intrigue. Through Boise State’s Food and Dairy Innovation Center and its connection to the BUILD Dairy program – a consortium of universities supporting dairy research – Dirks began studying glycomacropeptide, a whey protein with promising health benefits for people, including acting as an antiviral, supporting healthy bones and reducing inflammation.
Dirks focused on a particularly complex question: how to measure a key compound linked to the whey protein’s benefits for gut health. Leading her team, she developed a new measurement method published in Foods, an international journal, and is now recommended as an industry standard. “Understanding this compound and how it connects to the protein’s gut health effects could open the door to new products for consumers,” Dirks said.
Her work extended beyond the lab. Partly funded by Agropur, a global dairy company, Dirks traveled to Minnesota to learn techniques directly from industry scientists. She presented her findings at annual meetings, interviewed with partners, and met dairy farmers. “My favorite part of the dairy industry is the blend of chemistry and community,” she said.
Since defending her dissertation in 2025, Dirks has taught chemistry and a biochemistry lab at Boise State. She will continue as a chemistry lecturer in the fall.
For students considering dairy research, Dirks’ message is clear: “It was well worth it, and I would do it again.”
Her work drew praise from mentor McDougal. “Madison is structured, diligent, organized and focused. She is an exceptional scientist.”