William Murphy
Professor
Regents & Distinguished Professor; Director, Center for Comparative Genomics; and W. P. Luse Chair in Genomics
Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences
9794580906
383, VRB
TAMU Mailstop: 4458
TAMU Mailstop: 4458
Short Bio
Dr. William Murphy is the James E. Womack University Professor and holds the W.P. Luse Chair in Genomics in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. He also serves as the Director of the Center for Comparative Genomics. Dr. Murphy was born in Illinois and attended Illinois State University, where he earned his B.S. in Biological Sciences. He received his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences in 1997 from the University of Tulsa. Dr. Murphy joined the Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, National Cancer Institute, NIH, as a postdoctoral fellow, where he studied mammalian comparative genomics. In 2004, he joined the faculty of Texas A&M University, where he currently holds the titles of Distinguished Professor and Regents Professor. The research questions Dr. Murphy’s lab investigates are the evolution of mammalian species, their genomes, and the genetic architecture that underlies their phenotypic diversity. His laboratory integrates knowledge of genome organization with phylogenetic methods to resolve evolutionary relationships across the mammal family tree. Dr. Murphy’s contributions include establishing the phylogenetic framework for mammalian comparative genomics that aided in interpreting the human genome. Within this framework, his lab answered fundamental questions about how chromosomes break and evolve, when and how pivotal events in Earth's history influenced the diversification of placental mammals, and the impacts of hybridization on evolutionary inference and adaptation. Dr. Murphy’s lab is especially known for developing and applying comparative genomic resources for the cat family Felidae to advance basic and biomedical science research in genetic disease, trait mapping, and wildlife conservation. Dr. Murphy is an AAAS Fellow and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
Education
1992 - Bachelor of Science (Biological Sciences), Illinois State University
1997 - Doctor of Philosophy (Biological Sciences), The University of Tulsa
1997-2003 - Postdoctoral (Comparative Genomics), Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, National Institutes of Health
Honors & Awards
2025 - 2024 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Professor of the Year
2024 - Regents Professor, Texas A&M University System
2024 - Elected Member of the National Academy of Sciences
2023 - Faculty Success and Mentorship Award, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics and Genomics, Texas A&M University
2020 - Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
2020 - Chancellor’s EDGES Fellowship, Texas A&M University
2019 - Outstanding Research Leader Award, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University
2017 - Presidential Impact Fellow, Texas A&M University
2013 - American Veterinary Medical Foundation/Winn Feline Foundation Excellence in Research Award
2010 - Distinguished Achievement Award in Research, Texas A&M University Association of Former Students
2009 - JoAnn Treat Research Excellence Award, Texas A&M Research Foundation
2007 - Pfizer Animal Health Award for Research Excellence
2001-2002 - National Institutes of Health LRP Award
1997-1999 - National Institutes of Health IRTA Postdoctoral Fellow Award
1996 - Stoye Award, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Professional Organizations
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Genetic Association
American Society of Mammalogists
Genome 10K Community of Scientists
Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution
Society for Study of Mammalian Evolution
Editorial Service
2023, 2024 Invited Editor, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA
2017- present Editor in Chief, Journal of Heredity
2007- present Associate Editor, Journal of Mammalian Evolution
2019-2022 Senior Editor (Genomics), Journal of Molecular Evolution
2012, 2014, 2023 Invited Associate Editor, PLoS Genetics
2008-2016 Associate Editor, Journal of Heredity
2008-2016 Editorial Board, PLoS ONE
2008 Editor, Phylogenomics: Methods in Molecular Biology, Humana Press
Genetics and Genomics, Phylogenomics, Evolutionary Biology
Mammalian comparative genomics, phylogenomics, biogeography, and molecular evolution. Feline genomics, including genome mapping, sex chromosome genetics, speciation and mechanisms of reproductive isolation.
Teaching
Comparative Genomics (VIBS/GENE 630) Instructor
Current
Dr. Nicole Foley, Research Assistant Professor
Andrew Harris, Ph.D. student (GENE)
Emmarie Alexander, Ph.D. student (GENE)
Isabella Childers, Ph D. student (GENE)
Former Postdocs and Graduate Students
Dr. Alexandra Myers (BIMS)
Kevin Bredemeyer, Ph.D. student (GENE)
Dr. Gang Li (2008-2018)
Dr. Wesley Brashear (2013-2019)
Dr. Victor Mason (2009-2016)
Dr. Jan Janečka (2006-2010)
Dr. Brian Davis (2007-2013)
Dr. Emma Teeling (2002-2004)
Nuria Vasquez-Salat (2003-2004)
Sun Shan (1998-1999)
Former Research Scientists and Undergraduate Researchers
Hannah Curry, undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2019-2020
Kaci Martin, undergraduate REU researcher (Clemson Univ.), Texas A&M University, summer 2019
Kristen Niekamp, undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2018-2019
-Currently enrolled in Bioinformatics M.S. program at Johns Hopkins University
Justin Rowe, undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2018-2019
David Montalvo, undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2016-2017
Colton Wayne, undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2016-2017
Jinhong Wang, B.S., M.S., Research Associate, Texas A&M University, 2016-2018
Elissa Chapkin, summer undergraduate research intern, Texas A&M University, 2016
Jonathan Bravo, B.S., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2015-2016
Elizabeth Castleberry, B.S., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2014
Jacob Hammond, B.S., M.D., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2012-2013
Varun Naik, B.S., M.S., Texas A&M University, 2011-2012
Adriana Martinez, B.S., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2012-2013
Jessie DiCarlo, B.S., M.D., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2011-2012
Max Brown, B.S., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2011-201
Derek Siedel, B.S., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2010-2011
Breanne Harty, B.S., Ph.D., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2010-2011
Amanda Padilla, B.S., M.D., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2010-2011
Elizabeth Kennedy, B.S., M.D., undergraduate school at Louisiana State University School of Medicine.
Roxana Bridges, undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2009-2010
Victor Mason, B.S., Ph.D., undergraduate research scholar (thesis), Texas A&M University, 2009-2010
Angela Love, B.S., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2009-2010
Dustin Dwiggins, B.S., M.D., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2008-2010
Colleen Fisher, B.S., M.S., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2007-2010
Alison J. Pearks-Wilkerson, M.S., Research Associate, Texas A&M University, 2005-2008
David R. Dies, B.S., M.D., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2007-2008
Anisha Jambhekar, B.S., D.V.M., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2006-2007
Tess Crider, B.S., D.V.M., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2006-2007; Summer 2008
Brian Davis, B.S., Ph.D. undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2005-2007
Scott Corriveau, B.S., undergraduate researcher, Texas A&M University, 2004-2005
Nicole J. Crumpler, B.S., SAIC Research Technician, National Cancer Institute, NIH 2002-2004
Evir Goldman, B.S. SAIC summer intern, National Cancer Institute, NIH 2004
Meghan Kessler, NIH SIP Fellow, National Cancer Institute, NIH 2003-2004
Jessica Winkles, NIH SIP Fellow, National Cancer Institute, NIH 2002
Jilliana Minchoff, NIH SIP Fellow, National Cancer Institute, NIH 2002-2003
Clarence Smith, Jr. B.S., NIH CRTA Postbaccalaureate Fellow 2001-2002
Jason Morris, NIH SIP/Summer CRTA Fellow, National Cancer Institute, NIH 2001-2002
Jennifer Tabler, NIH SIP/Summer CRTA Fellow, National Cancer Institute, NIH 2001-2004
Deborah Hirschmann, B.S., NIH CRTA Postbaccalaureate Fellow, National Cancer Institute, NIH 1999-2001