Murphy Honored by American Society of Hematology

BUSM Assistant Professor of Medicine George J. Murphy, PhD, has been named an American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2011 Scholar Award recipient, in the category of Basic Research Junior Faculty. The program is designed to support hematologists who have chosen a career in research by providing partial salary or other support during the critical period required for completion of training and achievement of status as an independent investigator.

George Murphy
George Murphy

The awards are made possible through grants from the corporate community, individual donors, foundations, and funds committed by the Society. The awards are for a two- to three-year period, totaling $100,000 for fellows and $150,000 for junior faculty.

Dr. Murphy is the principal investigator of the Murphy Lab, a basic science and translational laboratory in the Section of Hematology and Oncology in the Department of Medicine at Boston University and the Boston Medical Center. The goal of the Lab is to advance the understanding of hematopoiesis, megakaryocytopoiesis, and stem cell biology, using the knowledge gained to forge applications for disorders of the blood. Along with fellow researchers Drs. Darrell Kotton and Gustavo Mostoslavsky, Dr. Murphy also serves as a Co-Director of the Boston University Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM). The CReM is dedicated to advancing stem cell research and regenerative medicine for the sake of patients – particularly those suffering from diseases seen at Boston Medical Center.

Dr. Murphy began his research career in the laboratory of Andrew D. Leavitt in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the University of San Francisco where he was responsible for research projects designed to identify the genes involved in megakaryocyte development. He received his PhD from Oxford University while working in the laboratory of Jonathan Frampton where he investigated the role of Ets transcription factors in hematopoietic cell development using targeted retroviral infection and gene transfer models. Dr. Murphy conducted his postdoctoral studies as a fellow in molecular medicine and genetics at Harvard Medical School and the Boston Children’s Hospital in the laboratory of Richard Mulligan, PhD. Dr. Murphy serves as a faculty member in the Section of Hematology and Oncology in the Department of Medicine at BUSM and BMC.