Investigators
Dr Mary Murphy
Investigator
mary.murphy
nuigalway.ie
Dr Mary Murphy is a Senior Lecturer in Regenerative Medicine and the Principle Investigator in Orthobiology at the Regenerative Medicine Institute. Her primary research interest and motivation is the development of innovative medicines to treat major diseases using adult stem cells.
Current clinical research focuses on the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) in osteoarthritis and she is involved with the ADIPOA2 Phase II clinical trial. Dr Murphy also coordinates an EU-funded project focusing on developing a robotic, economically-feasible automated manufacturing capacity for GMP-compliant production of MSCs for therapeutic use.
Basic research is focused on the (1) concept that stem cell depletion or dysfunction contributes to the development of osteoarthritis or atherosclerosis and (2) the use of the chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs as a model to study osteoarthritis development and (3) the role of inflammation in disease progression. This research aims to identify novel targets for drug development.
Tissue engineering efforts address generation of novel materials for cartilage repair and development of targeting strategies and drug delivery modalities for non-invasive delivery of therapeutic cells and drugs to osteoarthritic cartilage using micro- and nano-particles.
Primary clinical targets are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis with associated cartilage and bone repair. Additional research is associated with understanding vascular calcification associated with cardiovascular and other chronic diseases.
Dr Murphy has served on the Scientific Advisory Committee to FES Directorate, Science Foundation Ireland (2006-08) and was a member of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) Communications Committee as well as the Irish national representative on the OARSI Strategic Alliance Committee working with National Partner organisations to advance global osteoarthritis-related "Grand Challenges".
Dr Murphy has published over 80 articles and 240 conference publications. She has four patents in the stem cell area and an additional patent focused on serum-free medium for stem cell culture.
She is an Associate Editor of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology) and a reviewer for 26 journal and ten grant agencies. She is an External Advisory Board member for an FP7 NMP project and has partnered on 5 EU awards.
Related links:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Z4xsIQMAAAAJ&hl=en