• Portrait headshot of Dr. Patrick Murphy smiling at the camera in front of an out-of-focus, green background

    Patrick Murphy, PhD

    • What aspect of your research are you most excited about right now?
        • A few years back we noticed that ancient remnants of viral DNAs called transposons, which are still buried in present day genomes, sometimes become active in newly fertilized embryos. We're now finding out that these activated viral DNA artifacts are able to 'soak-up' central gene regulatory factors, leading to down-regulation of critical developmental genes. Many members of my lab are now investigating how this tug-of-war between genes and viral DNA elements influences embryonic development.
    • What inspired you to study reproduction, in general?
        • I've always been curious about where life comes from. The most fundamental place to go looking for answers is the process of fertilization, when sperm and egg come together, and life begins. The fact that one cell from mom can fuse with one cell from dad to create a new living human being is truly fascinating to me.
    • When you're not doing research, what are your hobbies or non-work-related interests?
        • I love mountain biking with my kids, going for long runs in the early mornings, hiking in the forest with my spouse, fishing in lakes and streams, and skiing in the mountains.
    • What is the most valuable piece of advice you've received over your research career?
        • I'm an overly optimistic and ambitious person by nature, but I sometimes lose track of time, so the best advice I've received is to get organized, to plan ahead, and to prioritize things carefully. There are too many interesting questions out there, and we can't answer them all, so its important to think carefully about what is most interesting before committing precious time.
    • Ideally, how do you envision your research contributing to the broader field of reproduction (be it societal, ecological, etc.)?
        • Research in my lab will teach us how stem cells form in embryos. This information could be used to improve fertility - most miscarriages happen in the first few days after conception, which is the timepoint my research focuses on. I could also envision our work contributing to the advancement of stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine.