image: 2025 Southeastern Conference Professor of the Year Dr. William Murphy, Texas A&M University
Credit: Jason Nitsch/Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Dr. William Murphy, a researcher at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, has been named the 2025 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Professor of the Year.
Murphy is a National Academy of Sciences member and the James E. Womack University Professor of Genetics in the Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences. He is also a Texas A&M University System Regents Professor and was recently appointed to lead a new Center for Comparative Genomics in animal genetics at Texas A&M. As a genomicist, Murphy studies the structure, function and evolution of an organism’s entire genome, or its entire DNA complement, to better understand the genetic basis of a species’ traits and diseases.
“Dr. Murphy’s commitment to innovative scholarship, excellence in teaching and dedicated service embodies what it means to be the SEC Professor of the Year,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “We are proud to have faculty like Dr. Murphy representing our Conference.”
The SEC Professor of the Year Award is given annually to one SEC faculty member whose record of teaching, research and service places them among the elite in higher education. Winners are selected by the SEC provosts from among the 16 SEC Faculty Achievement Award recipients.
Murphy is the third Texas A&M recipient of the prestigious honor, the highest given to professors by the SEC, joining fellow National Academy of Sciences members Drs. Karen Wooley and Marcetta Y. Darensbourg, both nationally recognized experts in chemistry.
“What an incredible honor to represent my institution and the SEC in this way,” Murphy said. “I am deeply grateful for the support of Texas A&M throughout my career and to the SEC for this recognition of my academic efforts.”
Murphy received the honor for his research using comparative genomics to describe and understand evolutionary processes in mammals that result in different species, adaptations and overall biological diversity. His work has helped redefine the mammalian tree of life and transform scientists’ understanding of biology, especially through his research on the domestic cat genome.
His work has even been featured on the covers of highly regarded publications like Science, Nature, Genome Research, the Journal of Heredity and Genomics.
“Dr. Murphy is one of the most influential scholars in his field worldwide. His groundbreaking work in comparative genomics has not only redefined our understanding of mammalian evolution but also illuminated the complexities of feline genetics, paving the way for advancements in both science and medicine,” said Dr. John R. August, the Carl B. King Dean of Veterinary Medicine. “His dedication to unraveling the mysteries of the genome is matched by his dedication to educating and mentoring the next generation of genomicists; we could not be prouder to see his remarkable contributions recognized by the SEC.”
A Career Driven By Innovation
Murphy received his Ph.D. in biological sciences in 1997 from The University of Tulsa before becoming a postdoctoral researcher — and then senior scientist — at the Laboratory of Genomic Diversity at the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute.
He joined the Texas A&M faculty in 2004 and was named a Presidential Impact Fellow in 2017 and a University Professor in 2020. Over the course of his career, he has published more than 170 articles in peer-reviewed journals and currently serves as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Heredity.
Some of Murphy’s most transformative work has come from his participation in the Zoonomia Project, an international consortium of scientists who use the largest mammalian genomic dataset in history to answer questions about human evolution as it relates to overall mammal evolution. The project has led to important discoveries impacting health and medical treatments for both animals and human beings.
In a recent study, Murphy and his colleagues were able to provide a definitive answer regarding the evolutionary timeline of mammals over the last 100 million years. They found that mammals were already experiencing species diversification even before the mass extinction that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs.
Murphy is also regarded as an expert in cat evolution and genomics, with his work providing the foundation for medical treatment development and conservation efforts that promote feline health and well-being. Some of his recent research has helped scientists better understand what makes different cat species unique, including how they have adapted to their environments.
Learn more about Murphy and his research.
By Courtney Price, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
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