Professor Duncan completed her BSc (Hons) at the University of Guelph (Biological Sciences), followed by a PhD at the University of Toronto (Nutritional Sciences), and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley (Nutritional Science). Professor Duncan's PhD research centred on nutrient-based regulation of the mevalonate pathway in breast cancer cells, and investigation of the role of mevalonic acid in mammary tumorigenesis. Her postdoctoral studies focused on the characterization of novel enzymes in adipose tissue lipid metabolism, including Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and Adipose-specific phospholipase A2 (AdPLA), and understanding related effects on obesity and diabetes.
Professor Duncan was the recipient of postdoctoral fellowships from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Her work is funded by grants from NSERC, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the Ontario Research Fund.