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Professor Paula Murphy
Professor, Zoology

Biography

Paula Murphy's research interests are in the genetic regulation of embryonic development, and she has been carrying out research in this field since starting postgraduate studies towards her doctoral degree in 1987. The relationship between gene expression patterns and gene function has been a prominent part of her work, and detailed expression analysis is one of her specialisations. The focus of her current research is on understanding the molecular basis of tissue formation and morphogenesis in the vertebrate embryo, in particular how mechanical signals integrate with molecular pathways in guiding spatially organized tissue differentiation. She uses mouse and chick animal models to reveal the effects of disrupting regulatory mechanisms to test functional hypotheses; making use of mutant mouse lines. The research team is currently pioneering approaches to specifically manipulate gene function using CRISPR interference directly in vivo in the chick embryo. This permits targeting of specific tissues in a whole embryo context. The lab specializes in imaging molecular events within the 3D morphological context of the embryo. Her research career spans experience in a number of top international research institutions (Medical Research Council HUman Genetics Unit, Edinburgh; The University of Rome (La Sapienza); Ecole Normale Supeieur, Paris; The biotechnology Institute of Oslo, University of Oslo) and she continues to collaborate with international colleagues in the US and Europe.

Publications and Further Research Outputs

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Gallagher, S,. Murphy, P., Implementing inter-institutional lifelong sustainability education: The UNI-ECO e-learning case study, Irish Journal of Academic Practice, 11, (2), 2024 Journal Article, 2024 URL

Building a Co-ordinated Musculoskeletal System: The Plasticity of the Developing Skeleton in Response to Muscle Contractions in, editor(s)Boris Kablar , Roles of Skeletal Muscle in Organ Development, Springer Nature , 2023, [Paula Murphy and Rebecca Rolfe] Book Chapter, 2023

Silvia Gallagher and Paula Murphy, Implementing inter-institutional lifelong sustainability education: The UNI-ECO e-learning case study, Irish Journal of Academic Practice , 2023 Journal Article, 2023

Rolfe, RA. Shea, CA. and Murphy P., Geometric analysis of chondrogenic self-organisation of embryonic limb bud cells in micromass culture., Cell and Tissue Research , 2022 Journal Article, 2022 TARA - Full Text

Murphy P., Armit C., Hill B., Venkataraman S., Frankel P., Baldock R. and Davidson D. , Integrated analysis of Wnt signalling system component gene expression, Development , 149, (16), 2022, pdoi: 10.1242/dev.200312. Epub Journal Article, 2022 TARA - Full Text

Hill, Bill. Husz, Zost. Armit, Chris. Davidson, Duncan R. Murphy, Paula. Baldock, Richard A., WlzWarp: An Open-Source Tool for Complex Alignment of Spatial Data, 2022 Journal Article, 2022 TARA - Full Text DOI

Darker CD., Mullin M., Doyle L., Tanner M., McGrath D., Doherty L., Dreyer-Gibney K., Barret EM., Flynn D., Ivers J, Burke E, Ryan M., McCarron M., Murphy P., et alia, Developing a healthy university campus in Trinity College Dublin - overview and an outline process evaluation , Health Promotion International, 2021 Journal Article, 2021 URL DOI

Peterson BE., Rolfe RA., Kunselman A., Murphy P., and Szczesny S., Mechanical Stimulation via Muscle Activity is Necessary for the Maturation of Tendon Multiscale Mechanics during Embryonic Development, Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology , 2021, p10.3389/fcell.2021.725563 Journal Article, 2021 URL TARA - Full Text DOI

Rolfe, RA. Scanlon-O' Callaghan, D. and Murphy P., Joint development recovery on resumption of embryonic movement following paralysis, Disease Models and Mechanisms , 14, (4), 2021, phttps://doi.org/10.1242/dmm.04 Journal Article, 2021 URL TARA - Full Text

Shea, C.A. and Murphy, P , The Primary Cilium on Cells of Developing Skeletal Rudiments; Distribution, Characteristics and Response to Mechanical Stimulation, Frontiers in Cell and developmental Biology , 2021, phttps://doi.org/10.3389/fcell. Journal Article, 2021 URL

Shea C.A., Rolfe R.A., McNeill H., AND Murphy P., Localization of YAP activity in developing skeletal rudiments is responsive to mechanical stimulation, Developmental Dynamics , 249, (4), 2020, p523 - 542 Journal Article, 2020 Other TARA - Full Text DOI

V Sotiriou, RA Rolfe, P Murphy, NC Nowlan, Effects of abnormal muscle forces on prenatal joint morphogenesis in mice, Jounral of Orthopaedic Research, 37, (11), 2019, p2287 - 2296 Journal Article, 2019 Other DOI TARA - Full Text

Rolfe R., Shea C., Singh P., Bandyopadhyay A., Murphy P., Uncovering the mechanistic basis of biomechanical input controlling skeletal development: exploring the interplay with Wnt signalling at the joint, Philosophical Transactions B, 373, (1759), 2018, p1 - 12 Journal Article, 2018 DOI

Rolfe RA, Shea CA, Singh PNP, Bandyopadhyay A, Murphy P, Investigating the mechanistic basis of biomechanical input controlling skeletal development: exploring the interplay with Wnt signalling at the joint, Philisophical Transactions of the Royal society, 2018 Journal Article, 2018 TARA - Full Text URL DOI

Mohammadkhah M, Murphy P, Simms CK., Collagen fibril organization in chicken and porcine skeletal muscle perimysium under applied tension and compression., Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 77, 2018, p734 - 744 Journal Article, 2018 URL DOI

Pratik Narendra Pratap Singh, Claire Shea, Shashank Kumar Sonker, Rebecca Rolfe, Ayan Ray, Sandeep Kumar, Pankaj Gupta, Paula Murphy, Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, Precise spatial restriction of BMP signaling in developing joints is perturbed upon loss of embryo movement, Development, 145, (5), 2018, pdev153460- Journal Article, 2018 URL DOI

Saha, A., Rolfe, R., Carroll, S., Kelly, D.J., Murphy, P., Chondrogenesis of embryonic limb bud cells in micromass culture progresses rapidly to hypertrophy and is modulated by hydrostatic pressure, Cell and Tissue Research, 368, (1), 2017, p47-59 Journal Article, 2017 DOI URL

Mohammadkhah M, Simms C.K, Murphy P, Visualisation of Collagen in fixed skeletal muscle tissue using fluorescently tagged Collagen binding protein CNA35, Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 66, 2017, p37 - 44 Journal Article, 2017 URL DOI

Mc Laughlin D, Murphy P, Puri P, Notochord manipulation does not impact oesophageal and tracheal formation from isolated foregut in 3D explant culture., Pediatric surgery international, 32, (1), 2016, p29-35 Journal Article, 2016 DOI URL

Mohammadkhah M, Murphy P, Simms C.K, The in vitro passive elastic response of chicken pectoralis muscle to applied tensile and compressive deformation, Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 62, 2016, p468 - 480 Journal Article, 2016 DOI URL

Beaton H, Andrews D, Parsons M, Murphy M, Gaffney A, Kavanagh D, McKay GJ, Maxwell AP, Taylor CT, Cummins EP, Godson C, Higgins DF, Murphy P, Crean J, Wnt6 regulates epithelial cell differentiation and is dysregulated in renal fibrosis., American journal of physiology. Renal physiology, 311, (1), 2016, pF35-F45 Journal Article, 2016 URL DOI

Shea CA, Rolfe RA, Murphy P, The importance of foetal movement for co-ordinated cartilage and bone development in utero : clinical consequences and potential for therapy., Bone & joint research, 4, (7), 2015, p105-16 Journal Article, 2015 URL TARA - Full Text DOI

Rolfe RA, Nowlan NC, Kenny EM, Cormican P, Morris DW, Prendergast PJ, Kelly D, Murphy P., Identification of mechanosensitive genes during skeletal development: alteration of genes associated with cytoskeletal rearrangement and cell signalling pathways., BioMedCentral Genomics, 15, 2014, p1 - 23 Journal Article, 2014 TARA - Full Text

Rolfe, R.A., Kenny, E.M., Cormican, P., Murphy, P., Transcriptome analysis of the mouse E14.5 (TS23) developing humerus and differential expression in muscle-less mutant embryos lacking mechanical stimulation, Genomics Data, 2, 2014, p32-36 Journal Article, 2014 DOI URL TARA - Full Text

Mc Laughlin D, Murphy P, Puri P, Altered Tbx1 gene expression is associated with abnormal oesophageal development in the adriamycin mouse model of oesophageal atresia/tracheo-oesophageal fistula., Paediatric Surgery International, 30, (2), 2014, p143 - 149 Journal Article, 2014

Rolfe Rebecca, Roddy Karen, and Murphy Paula, Mechanical Regulation of Skeletal Development , Current Osteoporosis Reports, 11, (2), 2013, p107 - 116 Journal Article, 2013 URL DOI TARA - Full Text

Sato H, Hajduk P, Furuta S, Wakisaka M, Murphy P, Puri P, Kitagawa H, Effect of abnormal notochord delamination on hindgut development in the Adriamycin mouse model., Pediatric Surgery International , 29, (11), 2013, p1209 - 1216 Journal Article, 2013

Wong, F., Welten, M.C.M., Anderson, C., Bain, A.A., Liu, J., Wicks, M.N., Pavlovska, G., (...), Burt, D.W., eChickAtlas: An introduction to the database, Genesis, 51, (5), 2013, p365-371 Journal Article, 2013 DOI

Mc Laughlin, Danielle, Hajduk, Piotr, Murphy, Paula, Puri, Prem, Adriamycin-Induced Models of VACTERL Association, Molecular Syndromology, 4, (1-2), 2013, p46 - 62 Journal Article, 2013 DOI

Martin, Audrey; Maher, Stephanie; Summerhurst, Kristen; Davidson, Duncan; Murphy, Paula , Differential deployment of Paralogous Wnt genes in the Mouse and Chick Embryo during Development. , Evolution and Development, 142, 2012, p178 - 196 Journal Article, 2012 DOI

Tatiana Vinardell, Rebecca A. Rolfe, Conor T. Buckley, Eric G. Meyer, Mark Ahearne, Paula Murphy and Daniel J. Kelly, Hydrostatic pressure acts to stabilise a chondrogenic phenotype in porcine joint tissue derived stem cells, European Cells and Materials, 23, 2012, p121 - 134 Journal Article, 2012

Hajduk, Piotr; May, Alison; Puri, Prem; Murphy, Paula , The Effect of Adriamycin Exposure on the Notochord of Mouse Embryos, Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology , 95, 2012, p175 - 183 Journal Article, 2012 DOI

Karen A. Roddy, Geraldine M. Kelly, Maarten H. van Esc, Paula Murphy, and Patrick J. Prendergast, Dynamic patterns of mechanical stimulation co-localise with growth and cell proliferation during morphogenesis in the avian embryonic knee joint, Journal of Biomechanics, 44, (11), 2011, p143-149 Journal Article, 2011 TARA - Full Text

Nowlan N.C., Dumas, G., Tajbakhsh S., Prendergast P. And Murphy P. , Passive Movement Due to External Mechanical Stimulation Plays a Role in Embryonic Skeletal Development. , Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology , epub ahead of print, 2011 Journal Article, 2011

Nowlan, N.C., Dumas, G., Tajbakhsh, S., Prendergast, P.J., Murphy, P. , Biophysical stimuli induced by passive movements compensate for lack of skeletal muscle during embryonic skeletogenesis , Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 11, (1-2), 2011, p207-219 Journal Article, 2011 TARA - Full Text

Hajduk P, Sato H, Puri P, Murphy P, Abnormal notochord branching is associated with foregut malformations in the adriamycin treated mouse model., PloS one, 6, (11), 2011, pe27635 Journal Article, 2011 DOI TARA - Full Text

Miller-Delaney, S., Lieberam, I., Jessell, T., Murphy P. and Mitchell, K. , Plxdc2 is a mitogen for neural progenitors, PLoS ONE, 6, (1), 2011, pe14565 Journal Article, 2011 TARA - Full Text

Piotr Hajduk, Hideaki Sato, Prem Puri and Paula Murphy , Abnormal Notochord Branching is Associated with Foregut Abnormalities in an Adriamycin Treated Mouse Model, PLoS ONE, 6, (11, e27635), 2011 Journal Article, 2011 TARA - Full Text

Roddy KA, Prendergast PJ, Murphy P, Mechanical Influences on Morphogenesis of the Knee Joint Revealed through Morphological, Molecular and Computational Analysis of Immobilised Embryos., PloS one, 6, (2), 2011, pe17526 Journal Article, 2011 DOI TARA - Full Text

Nowlan, N. C., Sharpe, J., Prendergast P.J. and Murphy P. , Mechanobiology of Embryonic Skeletal Development: Insights from Animal Models., Birth Defects Research Part C: Embryo Today, 90, (3), 2010, p203-213 Journal Article, 2010 DOI

Hajduk P, Murphy P, Puri P, Mesenchymal expression of Tbx4 gene is not altered in Adriamycin mouse model., Pediatric surgery international, 26, (4), 2010, p407-11 Journal Article, 2010 DOI

Takayasu H, Murphy P, Sato H, Doi T, Puri P., Embryonic Wnt gene expression in the nitrofen-induced hypoplastic lung using 3-dimensional imaging, Journal of Paediatric Surgery, 45, (11), 2010, p2129 - 2135 Journal Article, 2010 DOI

Niamh C. Nowlan, Céline Bourdon, Shahragim Tajbakhsh, Gérard Dumas, Patrick J. Prendergast and Paula Murphy, Developing bones are differentially affected by compromised skeletal muscle formation, Bone, 46, 2010, p1275-1285 Journal Article, 2010 DOI TARA - Full Text

Dalton Victoria S., Borich Suzanne M., Murphy P. and Roberts B.L., Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor mRNA expression in the Brain of the Teleost Fish, Anguilla anguilla, the European eel., Brain, Behaviour and Evolution, 73, (1), 2009, p43 - 58 Journal Article, 2009 URL DOI

Vendrell V., Summerhurst K, Sharpe J, Davidson D, Murphy P, Gene expression analysis of canonical Wnt pathway transcriptional regulators during early morphogenesis of the facial region in the mouse embryo, Gene Expression Patterns, 2009 Journal Article, 2009 TARA - Full Text DOI

Nowlan, N.C. , Prendergast, P.J. , Tajbakhsh, S., Murphy, P., Identifying candidate mechanoregulators of skeletal development, Proceedings of the ASME Summer Bioengineering Conference 2009, SBC2009, 11th ASME Summer Bioengineering Conference, SBC2009, Lake Tahoe, 17-21 June, PART A,, 2009, pp149-150 Conference Paper, 2009

Foolen, J., van Donkelaar, Corrinus C., Murphy, Paula, Huiskes, Rik, Ito, Keita, Residual periosteum tension is insufficient to directly modulate bone. , Journal of Biomechanics, 42, (2), 2009, p152 - 157 Journal Article, 2009 DOI URL

Hajduk P, Murphy P, Puri P., Fgf10 gene expression is delayed in the embryonic lung mesenchyme in the adriamycin mouse model., Paediatric Surgery International, 26, (1), 2009, p23 - 27 Journal Article, 2009 DOI

Karen A. Roddy, Niamh C Nowlan, Patrick J. Prendergast, and Paula Murphy, 3D representation of the developing chick knee joint: a novel approach integrating multiple components, Journal of Anatomy, 214, (3), 2009, p374 - 387 Journal Article, 2009 DOI URL

Sato, H., Murphy, P., Hajduk, P., Takayasu, H., Kitagawa, H. and Puri, P. , Sonic hedgehog gene expression in nitrofen induced hypoplastic lungs in mice. , Pediatric Surgery International, 25, (11), 2009, p967 - 971 Journal Article, 2009 DOI

Foolen J., van Donkelaar C., Nowlan N., Murphy P., Huiskes R. and Ito K., Collagen orientation in periosteum and perichondrium is aligned with preferential directions of tissue growth., Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 26, (9), 2008, p1263 - 1268 Journal Article, 2008 URL DOI

Sato H., Murphy P., Giles S., Bannigan J., Takayasu H. and Puri P., Visualising expression patterns of Shh and Foxf1 genes in the foregut and lung buds by Optical Projection Tomography. , Pediatric Surgery International, 24, (1), 2008, p3 - 11 Journal Article, 2008 DOI URL

Kristen Summerhurst, Margaret Stark, James Sharpe, Duncan Davidson and Paula Murphy, 3D representation of Wnt and Frizzled gene expression patterns in the mouse embryo at embryonic day 11.5 (Ts 19)., Gene Expression Patterns, 8, (5), 2008, p331 - 348 Journal Article, 2008 DOI URL TARA - Full Text

Nowlan N, Murphy P, Prendergast PJ, Dynamic pattern of mechanical stimulation promotes ossification in avian embryonic long bones, Journal of Biomechanics, 41, (3), 2008, p249 - 258 Journal Article, 2008 URL TARA - Full Text DOI

Nowlan, N., Prendergast P.J. and Murphy, P., Identification of Mechanosensitive Genes during Embryonic Bone Formation. , PLoS Computational Biology, 4, (12), 2008, pe1000250- Journal Article, 2008 TARA - Full Text

Malcolm E. Fisher, Allyson K. Clelland, Andrew Bain, Richard A. Baldock, Paula Murphy, Helen Downie, Cheryll Tickle, Duncan R. Davidson and Richard A. Buckland., Integrating technologies for comparing 3D gene expression domains in the developing chick limb, Developmental Biology, 317, (1), 2008, p13 - 23 Journal Article, 2008 URL DOI

N. Nowlan, P. Murphy and P.J. Prendergast, Mechanical stimuli resulting from embryonic muscle contractions promote avian periosteal bone collar formation', Summer Bioengineering Conference,, Colorado , American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2007 Conference Paper, 2007

Suzanne F. C. Miller, Kristen Summerhurst, Annette E. Rünker, Géraldine Kerjan, Roland H. Friedel, Alain Chédotal, Paula Murphy and Kevin J. Mitchell, Expression of Plxdc2/TEM7R in the developing nervous system of the mouse, Mechanisms of Development, 7, (5), 2007, p635 - 644 Journal Article, 2007 DOI URL

Nowlan, NC, Murphy, P, Prendergast, PJ, Mechanobiology of embryonic limb development, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1101, 2007, p389 - 411 Journal Article, 2007 URL TARA - Full Text DOI

Sato H, Murphy P, Giles S, Bannigan J and Puri P, Optical Projection Tomography as a new tool for visualising gene expression, Reproductive toxicology , 24, (1), 2007, p66 - 66 Journal Article, 2007

Ugo Borello, Barbara Berarducci, Paula Murphy, , The Wnt/ß-catenin pathway regulates the Shh-mediated Myf5 , Development, 133, 2006, p3723 - 3732 Journal Article, 2006 TARA - Full Text DOI URL

Nowlan, N.C., Murphy P. and Prendergast, P.J., The calculation of mechanical stresses in the growing avian embryonic limb using optical projection tomography, Proceedings of the 2006 Summer Bioengineering Conference of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering, Summer Bioengineering Conference of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering, 2006 Conference Paper, 2006

Lioubinski O, Alonso MT, Alvarez Y, Vendrell V, Garrosa M, Murphy P, Schimmang T., FGF signalling controls expression of vomeronasal receptors during embryogenesis., Mechanisms of Development, 123, (1), 2006, p17 - 23 Journal Article, 2006 URL DOI

Nowlan, N.C. , Murphy P. and Prendergast, P.J., The characterisation of mechanical stresses in the growing avian embryonic limb, Proceedings of the 5th World Congress of Biomechanics, 5th World Congress of Biomechanics, 2006 Conference Paper, 2006

Nowlan, N.C. , Murphy P. and Prendergast, P.J. , The influence of mechanical forces in the growing embryonic limb, Proceedings of the 52 nd Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society , 52 nd Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society , Orthopaedic Research Society , 2006, pp31 Conference Paper, 2006

Nowlan N., Murphy P. and Prendergast P. , Computation of stresses in the growing embryonic chick limb. , II International Conference on Computational Bioengineering, II International Conference on Computational Bioengineering, Lisbon, Portugal, September 14-16 2005, edited by H Rodrigues et al. , 2005, pp861 - 872 Conference Paper, 2005

Nowlan, N.C., Murphy P. and Prendergast, P.J, Computation of stresses in the growing embryonic chick limb, Proceedings of the 2 nd International Conference on Computational Bioengineering , 2nd International Conference on Computational Bioengineering , edited by Rodrigues, et al., , 2, IST Press. Lisbon., 2005, pp861-872 Conference Paper, 2005

Nowlan, N.C. , Murphy P. and Prendergast, P.J., Mechanical Stimuli Resulting From Embryonic Muscle Contractions Promote Avian Periosteal Bone Collar Formation, Proceedings of the 2007 Summer Bioengineering Conference of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering, 2007 Summer Bioengineering Conference of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering, American Society of Mechanical Engineering, 2005, pp833-834 Conference Paper, 2005

Husberg, C., Murphy, P., Bjorgo, E., Kalland, K-H. and Kolsto, A-B., Cellular localisation and nuclear export of the human bZIP transcription factor TCF11, Biochimica Biophysica Acta, 1640, (2-3), 2003, p143 - 151 Journal Article, 2003 DOI URL

Husberg, C., Murphy, P., Martin, E. and Kolsto, A.B., Two domains of the human bZIP transcription factor TCF11 are necessary for transactivation, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276, (21), 2001, p17641 - 17652 Journal Article, 2001 DOI TARA - Full Text URL

Myhrstad, M., Husberg, C., Murphy, P., Moskaug, J.O. and Kolsto, A.B., TCF11/Nrf1 over-expression increases the intracellular glutathione level and can transactivate the gamma-glutamylcysteine sythetase (GCS) heavy subunit promoter., Biochimica Biophysica Acta, 1517, (2), 2001, p212 - 219 Journal Article, 2001 URL DOI

Murphy, P. and Kolsto, A.B., Expression of the bZIP transcription factor TCF11 and its potential dimerisation partners during development, Mechanisms of Development, 97, (1-2), 2000, p141 - 148. Journal Article, 2000 DOI URL

Cossu, G., De Angelis, L., Borello, U., Berarducci, B., Buffa, V., Sonnino, C., Coletta, M., Vivarelli, E., Bouche, M., Lattanzi, L., Tosoni, D., Di Donna, S., Berghella, L., Salvatori, G., Murphy, P., Cusella-De Angelis, M.G. and Molinaro, M., Determination, diversification and multipotency of mammalian myogenic cells., International Journal of Developmental Biology, 44, 2000, p699 - 706 Journal Article, 2000 URL TARA - Full Text

Skammelsrud, N., Martin, E.R., Murphy, P., Khuu, C., Frengen, E. and Kolsto, A-B., The gene for human transcription factor TCF11 is located telomeric to D17S1827, BTR and HP1Hsb on chromosome 17q22, Genetic Analysis, 15, (6), 1999, p217 - 222 Journal Article, 1999 DOI URL

Johnsen, O. and Murphy, P., Prydz, H. and Kolsto, A-B., Interaction of the CNC-bZIP factor TCF11/LCR-F1/Nrf1 with MafG: binding-site selection and regulation of transcription, Nucleic Acids Research, 26, (2), 1998, p512 - 520 Journal Article, 1998 URL URL TARA - Full Text

Topilko, P., Murphy, P. and Charnay, P., Embryonic development of Schwann cells: multiple roles for neuregulins along the pathway, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, 8, (2-3), 1996, p71 - 75 Journal Article, 1996 DOI URL

Murphy, P., Topilko, P., Schneider-Maunoury, Seitanidou, T. and Charnay, P., The regulation of Krox-20 expression reveals important steps in the control of peripheral glial cell development., Development, 122, (9), 1996, p2847 - 2857 Journal Article, 1996 URL TARA - Full Text

Becker, N., Setanidou, T., Murphy, P., Mattei, M.G., Topilko, P., Nieto, A., Wilkinson, D.G., Charnay, P. and Gilardi-Hebenstreit, P., Several receptor tyrosine kinase genes of the Eph family are segmentally expressed in the developing hindbrain, Mechanisms of Development, 47, (1), 1994, p3 - 17 Journal Article, 1994 DOI URL

Retinoid induced alterations of segmental organisation and gene expression in the mouse hindbrain. in, editor(s)G.M.Morriss-Kay (ed.) , Retinoids in normal development and teratogenesis, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1992, pp229 - 240, [Murphy, P., Morriss-Kay, G.M., Hill, R.E. and Davidson, D.R.] Book Chapter, 1992

Multiple myogenic cell precursors and their possible role in muscle histogenesis in, editor(s)A.M.Kelly and H.M.Blau (eds.) , Neuromuscular development and disease, New York, Raven Press, 1992, pp183 - 195, [Cossu, G., Cusella-De Angelis, M.G., De Angelis, L., Mezzogiorno, A., Murphy, P., Coletta, M., Vivarelli, E., Bouche, M. and Molinaro, M.] Book Chapter, 1992

Morriss-Kay, G.M., Murphy, P., Hill, R.E. and Davidson, D.R., Effects of retinoic acid excess on expression oh Hox 2.9 and Krox 20 and on morphological segmentation in the hindbrain of mouse embryos, EMBO Journal, 10, 1991, p2985 - 2995 Journal Article, 1991

Murphy, P. and Hill, R.E., Expression of the mouse labial-like homeobox-containing genes, Hox 2.9 and Hox 1.6, during segementation of the hindbrain, Development, 111, (1), 1991, p61 - 74 Journal Article, 1991 URL TARA - Full Text

Murphy, P., Davidson, D.R. and Hill, R.E., Segment specific expression of a homeobox-containing gene in the mouse hindbrain, Nature, 341, 1989, p156 - 159 Journal Article, 1989 DOI URL

Murphy, P., Dowds, B.C., McConnell, D.J., Devine, K.M. , Oxidative stress and growth temperature in Bacillus-Subtilis, Journal OF Bacteriology, 169, (12), 1987, p5766 - 5770 Journal Article, 1987 URL

Dowds, B.C., Murphy, P., McConnell, D.J. and Devine, K.M., Relationship among oxidative stress, growth cycle and sporulation in Bacillus subtilis, Journal of Bacteriology, 169, (12), 1987, p5771 - 5775 Journal Article, 1987 URL

Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications

Hill, Bill. Husz, Zost. Armit, Chris. Davidson, Duncan R. Murphy, Paula. Baldock, Richard A., WlzWarp: An Open-Source Tool for Complex Alignment of Spatial Data, biorXiv , 2022 Journal Article, 2022

Murphy, Paula. Summerhurst, Kristen. Brady, Gareth. Vendrell, Victor. Frankel, Patrick. Redmond, Martina. Maddock, Jessica. Killion-Connolly, Somantha. Armit, Chris. Hill, Bill. Venkatarman, Shanmugasundaram. Yiwen, Sun. Baldock, Richard. Davidson, Duncan. , Wnt Pathway Analysis mapped gene-expression data, University of Edinburgh (datashare) , 2021 Dataset, 2021 DOI

Murphy, Paula. Summerhurst, Kristen. Brady, Gareth. Vendrell, Victor. Frankel, Patrick. Redmond, Martina. Killion-Connolly, Somantha. Armit, Chris. Hill, Bill. Venkatarman, Shanmugasundaram. Yiwen, Sun. Baldock, Richard. Davidson, Duncan. Maddock, Jessica, Wnt Pathway Analysis mapped gene-expression point-cloud data, University of Edinburgh (datashare) , 2021 Dataset, 2021 DOI

Nowlan, N. C., P. Murphy & P. J. Prendergast. , The influence of mechanical forces in the growing embryonic limb. , Transactions of the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society, the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society, Chicago, Illinois, edited by Burr, D. B , 31, 2006, ppno. 123- Conference Paper, 2006

Miller S.F., Runker A.E., Kerjan G., Friedel R.H., Murphy P., Mitchell K.J., TEM7R in the developing mammalian nervous system. , International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience , 24, 2006, p598 - 598 Journal Article, 2006

Research Expertise

Description

The focus of the research is on understanding the molecular basis of tissue formation and morphogenesis in the vertebrate embryo, in particular how mechanical signals integrate with molecular pathways in guiding spatially organized tissue differentiation. The laboratory uses both mouse and chick animal models to reveal the effects of disrupting regulatory mechanisms to test functional hypotheses; making use of mutant mouse lines. This work is noteworthy for synergistic interdisciplinary collaboration, yet maintaining a focus and leadership in developmental biology. My independent research is built upon high impact work during my PhD and post-doctoral fellowships, initially establishing my independent research lab at Trinity College with a Science Foundation Ireland Principal Investigator award, using 3D imaging to integrate multiple gene expression patterns across time and space in the mouse embryo; work that has recently culminated in release of a valuable 3D mapped data resource for the Developmental Biology Community (https://journals.biologists.com/dev/article/276332/Signalling-pathway-Wnt-igration) My focus on morphogenesis of the developing limb in particular, and how spatially organized tissue specification occurs, led to collaborative research with colleagues in the Trinity Centre for Bioengineering and I have built a very successful track-record of collaborative research with engineers. These interdisciplinary collaborations have had a transformative effect, bringing a developmental biology perspective and understanding, enabling a deeper understanding of the role mechanics plays in morphogenesis. I have co-advised engineering students who have become very successful independent researchers themselves and are now using embryological models in their independent research. We have used transcriptomics to show that Wnt siganlling is central to the mechanoresponse in the skeleton and the openly available data were the 5th most highly viewed mouse data of 18,000 database entries, highlighting the utility, timeliness and quality of the work (Rolfe et al 2014). Significantly, we proposed a new model to explain the correct spatial differentiation of permanent articular cartilage at the joint and the transient cartilage that will serve as an anlage for later bone development (Rolfe et al 2018; Singh et al 2018).

Keywords

3d Imaging; Developmental Biology; Embryology; Expression Analysis; Genetics; In Situ Hybridisation; Morphogenesis; Wnt Signalling Pathway

Recognition

Awards and Honours

Fellow of Trinity College Dublin 2008

Welcome Trust Research Grant 2010-2014

Science Foundation Ireland. Investigator Programme Grant September 2003 - September 2007

Norwegian Cancer Society (Den Norske Kreftforening) research grants 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999

Human Frontiers Science Program fellowship 1993

EMBO long term research fellowship 1991

Medical Research Council Studentship 1988