M. Paul Murphy: 2025-26 University Research Professor Q&A

UKNow is highlighting the University of Kentucky’s 2025-26 University Research Professors. Established by the Board of Trustees in 1976, the professorship program recognizes excellence across the full spectrum of research at UK and is sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research.  

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 22, 2025) — M. Paul Murphy, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry in the UK College of Medicine, has been honored as a 2025-26 University Research Professor.

Murphy, who studies the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), also serves as the associate director for education at the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging. Recently, Murphy has focused his research on how sleep and metabolism affect AD. He’s also exploring how aging and poor sleep may be harmful in women.

Honored six times as “A Teacher Who Made a Difference” by the College of Education and as a master educator by the College of Medicine, mentorship is a hallmark of Murphy’s time at UK. In his 20 years on campus, he’s worked directly on research projects with more than 90 students. The National Institutes of Health also honored Murphy for his research excellence, innovation and mentorship of new scientists.

Murphy has authored or co-authored more than 100 articles published in a range of journals.

He spoke with UKNow about his latest honor as a University Research Professor in this Q&A.

UKNow: What does it mean to you to be recognized as a University Research Professor?

Murphy: It’s nice to be acknowledged for something I feel is important, especially since this is recognition from my peers. One of the hardest things that we all face in science is rejection — rejection of manuscripts, grants being passed over for funding and so on. Being told by your peers that “actually, you’re actually pretty great!” is a wonderful morale boost.

UKNow: How will the professorships program advance your research?

Murphy: The professorship program will help my lab to expand some of our studies into riskier areas that we think could pay off in the future. These are always harder to get started on, as traditional sources of funding are notoriously risk averse.

UKNow: What inspired your focus on this area of research?

Murphy: I’ve been interested in sleep and rhythms since I started graduate school back in the ’90s. Unfortunately, at the time, the lab that I was interested in joining didn’t have any space, so I worked on something different — brain aging. This, thankfully, turned out great and slid naturally into studying Alzheimer’s disease during my postdoctoral years, and later was the foundation of my lab at the University of Kentucky in 2005. But I never forgot my first leanings, and it was through meeting and collaborating with great colleagues here at UK that got me to ultimately circle back around and bring these two interests together. That, and enthusiastic students willing to take their own ideas and run with them.

UKNow: How does your research impact Kentucky?

Murphy: Alzheimer’s disease is a huge problem in Kentucky, and (I’m sorry to say) so is getting a good night’s sleep. We have a lot of shift workers in our state, and these folks are at elevated risk of developing dementia. This part of our work is being driven by Valeria Buzinova, a Ph.D. student in my lab. What’s more, our current research focus on how poor sleep and Alzheimer’s disease disproportionately impact women is a major concern for our state, and for the nation as a whole. At least two-thirds of persons with AD are women, and most women experience post-menopausal sleep problems. Carrie Johnson, my senior graduate student, was instrumental in getting this project off the ground and running with it. We’re hoping that the work we do today will lead to developments that will help to solve this problem.

About the University Research Professors
Each year, the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees approves a cohort of faculty as University Research Professors. The distinction recognizes excellence in work that addresses scientific, social, cultural and economic challenges in Kentucky and the world.

College leadership developed criteria for excellence within their area of expertise and then nominated faculty who excelled at these criteria. Each University Research Professor receives a one-year award of $10,000.