Role
Dr Alice Murphy, is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Systems Health and Integrated Metabolic Research (SHIMR) centre, and contributes to teaching in the Research Methods and Bioethics postgraduate module. Her research interests are in inflammation and cellular stress in obesity-induced type 2 diabetes and ways to mitigate this to predict, prevent and proactively manage the development of metabolic diseases in humans.
Career overview
Dr Murphy’s interest in endocrinology and metabolism was developed during her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at the University of Warwick where she graduated with first class honours. During this time she was selected for a Society for Endocrinology funded summer research placement to study the change in endoplasmic reticulum stress in adipose tissue following bariatric weight loss surgery. Dr Murphy was subsequently offered a PhD position at the University of Warwick to assess the impact of a broccoli extract on endoplasmic reticulum stress within human adipocytes. Following completion of her PhD, Dr Murphy took a postdoc position at NTU in 2018 and lead the set up of a 50-
person lab space in the new Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Centre. In 2020, Dr Murphy took on the role of Clinical Trial Coordinator for the Covid testing response at NTU, managing teams of testing staff over three different locations, before returning to her postdoc position in 2021
Research areas
Dr Murphy’s research interests are in obesity-induced type 2 diabetes and ways to mitigate this. This includes studying inflammatory mediators and cellular stress as causes of this disease, as well as analysing human samples following interventions such as bariatric weight-loss surgery. Dr Murphy aims to determine methods to predict, prevent and proactively manage the development of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases
in humans. Dr Murphy collaborates with researchers at DeMontfort University, Derby University, University of Nottingham, Hull York Medical School, Kind Saud University (Saudi Arabia) and with Intellomx Ltd.
External activity
Awards:
Winner of NTU Team Excellence Award 2022 for developing a bespoke in-person Covid-19 Asymptomatic Testing Service at NTU, to support students, staff and the community.
Selected to attend the competitively judged Society for Endocrinology Career Development Workshop, focussing on developing research grant application skills, April 2018.
Accreditations
- UKCGE Recognised Associate Supervisor
- Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Published Abstracts
Dr Murphy has published 9 abstracts at international conferences including the European Congress on Obesity 2024, Endoplasmic Reticulum Conference (2, USA, Oral, 2023/2018), International Congress on Obesity (1, Australia, Oral, 2022), Obesity Summit (1, USA/virtual, Oral, 2021), American Diabetes Association (2, USA), Obesity Keystone Meeting (1, Canada), World Congress on Targeting Mitochondria (1, Germany), Trilateral Workshop on Exercise and Obesity (1, South Africa); and 12 abstracts at national conferences (2 Oral, 9 posters).
Outreach
Dr Murphy leads a stand at the Nottinghamshire Festival of Science and Curiosity, designed to showcase the science that’s around us everyday to the local community, and particularly to primary school children.
Ad Hoc Reviewer
Dr Murphy has reviewed papers for the Journal of Public Health.
Society Memberships
Society for Endocrinology, Biochemical Society, Physiological Society
Sponsors and collaborators
External Funding:
BBSRC Blue Zone Consortium FTMA 2024 - £15,000
Society for Endocrinology Early Career Researcher grant 2022 - £10,000
Publications
An up-to-date list of Dr Murphy’s publications can be viewed on her ORCID profile, and Google Scholar.