Brona Murphy


Brona Murphy

Lecturer and Principal Investigator

Dr Brona Murphy is a lecturer in the Department of Physiology & Medical Physics and principal investigator within the Centre for Systems Medicine in the same department. She received her B.Sc. in Biotechnology from NUI, Galway in 2000. She then studied in Trinity College Dublin under the supervision of Prof Seamus Martin and received her PhD in 2004. Her thesis research examined apoptosis-associated caspase activation events.  Upon moving to the RCSI, she was awarded a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship from the Health Research Board to study the regulation of apoptotic pathways in the epileptic brain. Her research was conducted between laboratories in the RCSI and the Dow Neurobiology Lab, Legacy Research Centre, Portland, Oregon, USA. Upon her return to Ireland, Dr Murphy was awarded a Stokes Lectureship from Science Foundation Ireland and began working as an independent PI. The focus of Dr Murphy’s research is to gain a better understanding of how brain tumours resist cell death upon treatment. Her group examines cell death pathways at the molecular level, in both adult and paediatric brain tumours, with the overall aim of increasing the susceptibility of these tumours to death. Dr Murphy hopes that by elucidating and targeting cell death pathways in these tumours, current and future therapies will be more effective, and ultimately patient survival will improve. Her group’s research is funded by grants from the RCSI, HRB, SFI, H2020 Framework Programme and the NCRC.

Brona Murphy

Lecturer and Principal Investigator

Improving and personalising chemotherapy treatment options for paediatric brain tumour patients

The most common malignant childhood brain tumour is a medulloblastoma (MB). Whilst survival rates have improved, many children are left with a life-altering, long-term disability as a result of the tremendous treatment plan they undergo. This has a life-long, profound effect on them and their families. The treatment management of MB patients urgently requires reliable markers to predict an individual patient’s response to the current range of therapies available, or indeed to emerging targeted therapies. This need forms the basis for our research. Our project holds tremendous potential to develop clinically relevant tools that can identify which of the currently approved and newer targeted treatment options are most effective for a particular patient. This would be an excellent step-forward for patients as it will spare them toxic treatments that hold no overall benefit to them.

The list of publications below is automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed. As a result, there may be incorrect or missing publications.

Juric V, Düssmann H, Lamfers MLM, Prehn JHM, Rehm M, Murphy BM, 2021 May 12, Transcriptional CDK Inhibitors CYC065 and THZ1 Induce Apoptosis in Glioma Stem Cells Derived from Recurrent GBM. Cells, DOI: 10.3390/cells10051182
White K, Connor K, Clerkin J, Murphy BM, Salvucci M, O'Farrell AC, Rehm M, O'Brien D, Prehn JHM, Niclou SP, Lamfers MLM, Verreault M, Idbaih A, Verhaak R, Golebiewska A, Byrne AT, 2020 Dec, New hints towards a precision medicine strategy for IDH wild-type glioblastoma. Ann Oncol, DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2020.08.2336
Noonan JJ, Jarzabek M, Lincoln FA, Cavanagh BL, Pariag AR, Juric V, Young LS, Ligon KL, Jahns H, Zheleva D, Prehn JHM, Rehm M, Byrne AT, Murphy BM, 2019 Dec 12, Implementing Patient-Derived Xenografts to Assess the Effectiveness of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors in Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel), DOI: 10.3390/cancers11122005
Ryan AL, Fitzgerald MC, Ozsváth A, Twamley B, Buglyó P, Murphy BM, Griffith DM, 2019 Dec 2, Ni(II), Pd(II), and Pt(II) Complexes of the Hedgehog Pathway Inhibitor GANT61-D. Inorg Chem, DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b02632
Salvucci M, Zakaria Z, Carberry S, Tivnan A, Seifert V, Kögel D, Murphy BM, Prehn JHM, 2019 Nov 12, System-based approaches as prognostic tools for glioblastoma. BMC Cancer, DOI: 10.1186/s12885-019-6280-2
Lincoln FA, Imig D, Boccellato C, Juric V, Noonan J, Kontermann RE, Allgöwer F, Murphy BM, Rehm M, 2018 Nov 1, Sensitization of glioblastoma cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis by IAP- and Bcl-2 antagonism. Cell Death Dis, DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-1160-2
Lindner AU, Lucantoni F, Varešlija D, Resler A, Murphy BM, Gallagher WM, Hill ADK, Young LS, Prehn JHM, 2018 Oct, Low cleaved caspase-7 levels indicate unfavourable outcome across all breast cancers. J Mol Med (Berl), DOI: 10.1007/s00109-018-1675-0
McKeon AM, Noonan J, Devocelle M, Murphy BM, Griffith DM, 2017 Oct 12, Platinum(iv) oxaliplatin-peptide conjugates targeting memHsp70+ phenotype in colorectal cancer cells. Chem Commun (Camb), DOI: 10.1039/c7cc04764a
Noonan J, Zarrer J, Murphy BM, 2016, Targeting Autophagy in Glioblastoma. Crit Rev Oncog, DOI: 10.1615/CritRevOncog.2016017008
Weyhenmeyer BC, Noonan J, Würstle ML, Lincoln FA, Johnston G, Rehm M, Murphy BM, 2016 Sep 20, Predicting the cell death responsiveness and sensitization of glioma cells to TRAIL and temozolomide. Oncotarget, DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10973
Murphy ÁC, Weyhenmeyer B, Noonan J, Kilbride SM, Schimansky S, Loh KP, Kögel D, Letai AG, Prehn JH, Murphy BM, 2014 Apr, Modulation of Mcl-1 sensitizes glioblastoma to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Apoptosis, DOI: 10.1007/s10495-013-0935-2
Murphy ÁC, Weyhenmeyer B, Schmid J, Kilbride SM, Rehm M, Huber HJ, Senft C, Weissenberger J, Seifert V, Dunst M, Mittelbronn M, Kögel D, Prehn JH, Murphy BM, 2013 May 16, Activation of executioner caspases is a predictor of progression-free survival in glioblastoma patients: a systems medicine approach. Cell Death Dis, DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2013.157
Weyhenmeyer B, Murphy AC, Prehn JH, Murphy BM, 2012 Oct, Targeting the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members for the treatment of cancer. Exp Oncol, DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2013.157
Thompson S, Pearson AN, Ashley MD, Jessick V, Murphy BM, Gafken P, Henshall DC, Morris KT, Simon RP, Meller R, 2011 Jun 3, Identification of a novel Bcl-2-interacting mediator of cell death (Bim) E3 ligase, tripartite motif-containing protein 2 (TRIM2), and its role in rapid ischemic tolerance-induced neuroprotection. J Biol Chem, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M110.197707
Engel T, Murphy BM, Hatazaki S, Jimenez-Mateos EM, Concannon CG, Woods I, Prehn JH, Henshall DC, 2010 Mar, Reduced hippocampal damage and epileptic seizures after status epilepticus in mice lacking proapoptotic Puma. FASEB J, DOI: 10.1096/fj.09-145870
Murphy BM, Engel T, Paucard A, Hatazaki S, Mouri G, Tanaka K, Tuffy LP, Jimenez-Mateos EM, Woods I, Dunleavy M, Bonner HP, Meller R, Simon RP, Strasser A, Prehn JH, Henshall DC, 2010 Mar, Contrasting patterns of Bim induction and neuroprotection in Bim-deficient mice between hippocampus and neocortex after status epilepticus. Cell Death Differ, DOI: 10.1038/cdd.2009.134
Murphy N, Bonner HP, Ward MW, Murphy BM, Prehn JH, Henshall DC, 2008 Jul, Depletion of 14-3-3 zeta elicits endoplasmic reticulum stress and cell death, and increases vulnerability to kainate-induced injury in mouse hippocampal cultures. J Neurochem, DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05447.x
Engel T, Murphy BM, Schindler CK, Henshall DC, 2007 Dec, Elevated p53 and lower MDM2 expression in hippocampus from patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsy Res, DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2007.09.001
Henshall DC, Murphy BM, 2008 Feb, Modulators of neuronal cell death in epilepsy. Curr Opin Pharmacol, DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2007.07.005
Murphy B, Dunleavy M, Shinoda S, Schindler C, Meller R, Bellver-Estelles C, Hatazaki S, Dicker P, Yamamoto A, Koegel I, Chu X, Wang W, Xiong Z, Prehn J, Simon R, Henshall D, 2007 Oct, Bcl-w protects hippocampus during experimental status epilepticus. Am J Pathol, DOI: 10.2353/ajpath.2007.070269
Concannon CG, Koehler BF, Reimertz C, Murphy BM, Bonner C, Thurow N, Ward MW, Villunger A, Strasser A, Kögel D, Prehn JH, 2007 Mar 15, Apoptosis induced by proteasome inhibition in cancer cells: predominant role of the p53/PUMA pathway. Oncogene, DOI: 10.1038/sj.onc.1209974
Yamamoto A, Schindler CK, Murphy BM, Bellver-Estelles C, So NK, Taki W, Meller R, Simon RP, Henshall DC, 2006 Dec, Evidence of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 signaling in human temporal lobe epilepsy. Exp Neurol, DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2006.07.003
Adrain C, Murphy BM, Martin SJ, 2005 Feb 11, Molecular ordering of the caspase activation cascade initiated by the cytotoxic T lymphocyte/natural killer (CTL/NK) protease granzyme B. J Biol Chem, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M410915200
Yang JY, Michod D, Walicki J, Murphy BM, Kasibhatla S, Martin SJ, Widmann C, 2004 Dec, Partial cleavage of RasGAP by caspases is required for cell survival in mild stress conditions. Mol Cell Biol, DOI: 10.1128/MCB.24.23.10425-10436.2004
Murphy BM, Creagh EM, Martin SJ, 2004 Aug 27, Interchain proteolysis, in the absence of a dimerization stimulus, can initiate apoptosis-associated caspase-8 activation. J Biol Chem, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M402039200
Creagh EM, Murphy BM, Duriez PJ, Duckett CS, Martin SJ, 2004 Jun 25, Smac/Diablo antagonizes ubiquitin ligase activity of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins. J Biol Chem, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M313859200
Murphy BM, O'Neill AJ, Adrain C, Watson RW, Martin SJ, 2003 Mar 3, The apoptosome pathway to caspase activation in primary human neutrophils exhibits dramatically reduced requirements for cytochrome C. J Exp Med, DOI: 10.1084/jem.20021862

Funding Agency:National Children’s Research Centre
Project Title:Improving and personalising chemotherapy treatment options for paediatric brain tumour patients
Start Date/End Date:01/2018-12/2020
Total Awarded:€252,000
Role:PI
Funding Agency:Horizon 2020 Framework Programme
Project Title:Validation of the APOPTO-CELL modelling environment as a superior predictor of treatment responsiveness in GBM patients
Start Date/End Date:01/2018-12/2020
Total Awarded:€242,000
Role:PI
Funding Agency:Health Research Board
Project Title:Enhancing the efficacy of treatment for GBM through the combination therapy of R-roscovitine with TRAIL
Start Date/End Date:09/2013-09/2017
Total Awarded:€307,000
Role:PI
Funding Agency:Health Research Board
Project Title:Role of Bok in neuronal loss
Start Date/End Date:06/2009-05/2012
Total Awarded:€309,000
Role:PI
Funding Agency:RCSI Research Committee
Project Title:The role of the BH3-only protein, Bim in malignant brain tumours
Start Date/End Date:10/2008-08/2012
Total Awarded:€102,000
Role:PI
Funding Agency:Science Foundation Ireland
Project Title:Stokes Lectureship in Molecular Neuroscience
Start Date/End Date:04/2008-03/2013
Total Awarded:€450,000
Role:Co-PI
Funding Agency:Health Research Board
Project Title:Investigation of death receptor signalling in neuronal death
Start Date/End Date:10/2005-09/2008
Total Awarded:€226,000
Role:PI
Name:Mr Darach Crimmins
DepartmentNeurosurgery
Institution:Temple Street Children’s University Hospital
Country:Ireland
Name:Mr John Caird
DepartmentNeurosurgery
Institution:Temple Street Children’s University Hospital
Country:Ireland
Name:Dr Philip O’Halloran
DepartmentNeurosurgery
Institution:Beaumont Hospital
Country:Ireland
Name:Dr Eric Chevet
DepartmentChemistry, Oncogenesis, Stress, Signalling (COSS)
Institution:Rennes University
Country:France

    2018 – Present     Member of the European Society for Medical Oncology

    2011 – Present     Member of the European Association for Cancer Research

    2011 – Present     Member of the American Association for Cancer Research

    2010 – Present     Member of Cancer Trials Ireland

    2009 – Present     Member of the Irish Association for Cancer Research