Professor Paula Murphy

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.

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

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).