Texas A&M Research Foundation
Announces The 2009 JoAnn Treat Research Excellence Award Recipient

The Texas A&M Research Foundation announced the recipient of the 2009 JoAnn Treat Research Excellence Award at their Annual Councilor/Trustee Fall meeting held on December 11, 2009.  This year’s recipient is Dr. William J. Murphy, Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, at Texas A&M University.

Dr. William J. Murphy received his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences in 1997 from Tulsa University, and completed his postdoctoral work at the Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, National Cancer Institute, and worked as a senior scientist at NIH before joining Texas A&M University in 2004. His research interests include feline comparative and conservation genomics, specifically focusing on mapping and annotating the domestic cat genome, and studying the Y chromosome of cats and dogs as these genes relate to infertility and reproductive isolation between species. Dr. Murphy’s research also focuses on mammalian phylogenetics and conservation genetics, specifically seeking to understand the underlying genetic and environmental changes that contribute to diversification and extinction of mammalian populations and species. Dr. Murphy has published over seventy articles in peer-reviewed journals and volumes, including Science and Nature. His lab is funded by the National Science Foundation, USDA, Morris Animal Foundation, AKC-Canine Health Foundation, Winn Feline Foundation, The Snow Leopard Conservancy, and the National Geographic Foundation.

Dr. William J. Murphy received a $10,000 award, a commemorative plaque and will also have his name recorded on the JoAnn Treat commemorative glass vase displayed in the Research Foundation lobby.