The Department of Applied Physiology and Wellness

Megan Murphy, Ph.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor

Dr. Megan Murphy joined the faculty at SMU in the fall of 2011 as a Clinical Assistant Professor. Dr. Murphy completed her Ph.D. in Integrative Physiology at the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) in 2008. While at UNTHSC, Dr. Murphy served as a SCORE and MKITS fellow volunteering in the ninth grade science classes of local Fort Worth ISD high schools with the goal of increasing the students' interest in and awareness of science as a career.

Dr. Murphy completed a postdoctoral fellowship from 2008-2011 at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas in the Weinberger Laboratory. During her fellowship she received a Recognition award and the Beginning Investigator Military Physiology award from the Exercise and Environmental Physiology section of the American Physiological Society.

Dr. Murphy's research has focused on the physiological adaptations to exercise observed in very high fit athletes as well as the potentially deleterious effects of acute exercise in populations with cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Murphy enjoys running outdoors, reading and cooking. She resides in Haslet with her fiance, Graig and daughter, Emma.
 

Publications:

 

Murphy MN, M Mizuno, JH Mitchell, SA Smith. Cardiovascular regulation by skeletal muscle reflexes in health and disease. American Journal of Physiology, 2011 (in revision).

Murphy MN, M Mizuno, J Squiers, K Squiers, SA Smith. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase protein expression is reduced within brainstem neurons excited by skeletal muscle reflexes in spontaneously hypertensive rats. ¬Journal of Physiology, 2011 (submitted).

Leal AK, BH Cherry, MN Murphy, SA Smith. In vivo imaging and measurement of nitric oxide production in rat brainstem using microdialysis of 1,2-diaminoanthraquinone and fluorescent microscopy. Experimental Physiology, 2011 (submitted).

Mizuno M, MN Murphy, JH Mitchell, SA Smith. Skeletal muscle reflex-mediated changes in sympathetic nerve activity are abnormal in spontaneously hypertensive rats. American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 300(3): H968-H977, 2011.

Mizuno M, MN Murphy, JH Mitchell, SA Smith. Skeletal muscle metaboreflex overactivity is mediated by the TRPV1 receptor in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Journal of Physiology, 2011 (submitted).

Murphy MN. Remodeling of central sympathetic circuits precedes the development of hypertension. Journal of Applied Physiology, 109: 2011-12, 2010.

Smith SA, MN Murphy. Endurance exercise performance is determined by both autonomic and psychological factors. Journal of Applied Physiology, 108: 461, 2010.

SA Smith, AK Leal, MN Murphy, JH Mitchell, MG Garry. The TRPV-1 receptor is a mediator of the exercise pressor reflex in rats. Journal of Physiology 588(7): 1179-1189, 2010.

Hawkins MN, Q Barnes, S Purkayastha, W Eubank, S Ogoh, PB Raven. The effects of aerobic fitness and beta-1 adrenergic receptor blockade on cardiac work during dynamic exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 106:486-493, 2009.

Hawkins MN, PB Raven, PG Snell, J Stray Gunderson, BD Levine. Maximal oxygen uptake as a parametric measure of cardiorespiratory capacity. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 39: 103-107, 2007.

Ogoh S, MB Brothers, Q Barnes, WL Eubank, MN Hawkins, S Purkayastha, A O-Yurvati, PB Raven. Effects of changes in central blood volume on carotid-vasomotor baroreflex sensitivity at rest and during exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 101(1): 68-75, 2006

Ogoh S, M Brothers, Q Barnes, WL Eubank, MN Hawkins, S Purkayastha, A O-Yurvati, PB Raven. Cardiopulmonary baroreflex is reset during dynamic exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 100(1): 51-59, 2006.

Ogoh S, M Brothers, Q Barnes, WL Eubank, MN Hawkins, S Purkayastha, A O-Yurvati, PB Raven. The effect of changes in cardiac output on middle cerebral artery mean blood velocity at rest and during exercise. Journal of Physiology 569(2): 697-704, 2005.

Keller DM, PJ Fadel , S Ogoh, RM Brothers, M Hawkins, A Olivencia-Yurvati, PB Raven. Carotid baroreflex control of leg vasculature in exercising and non-exercising skeletal muscle in humans. Journal of Physiology, 561(1): 283-293, 2004.

 

Poster Presentations and Abstracts:

 

Murphy MN, M Mizuno, JH Mitchell, SA Smith. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression within the nucleus tractus solitarius of normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2011 (in press).

Murphy MN, M Mizuno, SA Smith. Exercise pressor reflex (EPR)induced FOS expression is co-localized with neurons containing neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). FASEB Journal, 2011 (in press).

Murphy MN, JJ Squiers, KE Squiers, JH Mitchell, SA Smith. Skeletal Muscle Reflex induced Fos Expression within the NTS of Normotensive and Hypertensive Rats. Med Sci Sports Exerc 42(5): S231, 2010.

Murphy MN, M Mizuno, SA Smith. Skeletal muscle metaboreflex overactivity is partially corrected by decreasing superoxide within the nucleus tractus solitarius of hypertensive rats. FASEB Journal 24:619.2, 2010.

Murphy MN, M Mizuno, SA Smith. Skeletal muscle metaboreflex overactivity is partially corrected by decreasing superoxide within the nucleus tractus solitarius of hypertensive rats. FASEB Journal 24:619.2, 2010.

Hawkins MN, AK Leal, JH Mitchell, SA Smith. Decreasing superoxide within the nucleus tractus solitarius partially corrects skeletal muscle mechanoreflex overactivity in hypertension. Medicine in Science and Sports and Exercise, Abst# 2392, 41(5): S442, 2009.

Hawkins MN, J Squiers, AK Leal, JH Mitchell, SA Smith. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and c-Fos expression in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) of normotensive and hypertensive rats. FASEB Journal, Abst# 608.2, 23:2009.

Hawkins MN, WL Eubank, S Purkaystha, Q Barnes, PB Raven Cardiac work during steady state dynamic exercise with and without metoprolol. Texas Chapter of American College of Sports Medicine, 2008.

Hawkins MN, WL Eubank, Q Barnes, PB Raven The effects of metoprolol on total cardiac cork during submaximal exercise. Texas Chapter of American College of Sports Medicine, 2007.

Hawkins MN, PB Raven, BD Levine. Maximal oxygen uptake as a parametric measure of cardiopulmonary capacity. Texas Chapter of American College of Sports Medicine, 2006.

Hawkins MN, S Ogoh, PB Raven. The effects of pulse pressure on the carotid baroreflex during mild exercise. Texas Chapter American College of Sports Medicine, 2005.

Hawkins MN, DM Keller, K Caldwell, J Kurschner, PB Raven. The reproducibility of acetylene re-breathe method for determining cardiac output of humans during exercise, Texas Chapter American College of Sports Medicine, 2004.