Animal geneticist is awarded Southeastern Conference faculty honor

Photos courtesy of Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

William Murphy, PhD, BS, was named the 2025 Southeastern Conference Professor of the Year

An animal genetics investigator at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) in College Station has earned the highest award for faculty in US college athletics’ Southeastern Conference (SEC). William Murphy, PhD, BS, has been named the 2025 SEC Professor of the Year, in recognition of his teaching record, research and service in higher education.¹ 

“What an incredible honor to represent my institution and the SEC in this way,” Murphy said in a news release.¹ “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.”

Winners are selected by the SEC provosts from among the 16 SEC Faculty Achievement Award recipients announced in February 2025. “The SEC Faculty Achievement Awards allow us to celebrate and highlight the remarkable contributions of outstanding faculty members on our campuses,” Greg Sankey, SEC commissioner, said in a news release.² “While we recognize 16 exceptional individuals each year, they stand as representative of the excellence and dedication demonstrated by all SEC faculty.”

Murphy is the Professor of the Year award’s third Texas A&M recipient, since it was first presented in 2012. He joins Karen L. Wooley, PhD, BS, a polymer chemist; and Marcetta Y. Darensbourg, PhD, BS, an inorganic chemist, who are both nationally recognized experts in the field of chemistry. All 3 of these Texas A&M honorees are members of the National Academy of Sciences.^1,2

William Murphy, PhD, BS, is a research of animal genetics.

At Texas A&M, Murphy is the James E. Womack University Professor of Genetics in the VMBS’ Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences and a University System Regents Professor, who was recently appointed to lead a new Center for Comparative Genomics in animal genetics at Texas A&M. Through his work as a genomicist, Murphy studies the structure, function and evolution of an organism’s entire genome, or its entire DNA complement, according to Texas A&M. This work aims to improve understanding of the genetic basis of a species’ traits and diseases.¹

Murphy’s research using comparative genomics to describe and understand evolutionary processes in mammals that result in different species, adaptations and overall biological diversity, contributed to his selection as the SEC Professor of the Year. This work has helped redefine the mammalian tree of life and transform scientists’ understanding of biology, especially through his research on the domestic cat genome, according to Texas A&M.¹

"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,” John R. August, BVSc, MS, the Carl B. King Dean of Veterinary Medicine, said in the release.¹ “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.”

According to Texas A&M, Murphy earned his PhD in biological sciences at The University of Tulsa in Oklahoma before becoming a postdoctoral researcher and senior scientist studying genomic diversity at the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. The author of more than 170 articles published in peer-reviewed journals, Murphy also serves as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Heredity.¹

Throughout his career, Murphy’s work as included participation in the Zoonomia Project, an international consortium of scientists that studies mammalian genomic data to answer questions about human evolution. One Zoonomia Project study led by Murphy used the genomes of 241 species to find an answer to the question of when mammals diversified in their evolutionary timeline over the past 100 million years. This finding—that mammals were experiencing species diversification before the mass extinction that wiped out nonavian dinosaurs—supports animal and human health outcomes, according to Texas A&M.^1,3

Additionally, Murphy is regarded as an expert in feline evolution and genomics. His work includes research that has helped scientists better understand what makes different cat species unique, including how they have adapted to their environments.¹

Sankey expressed that the SEC was proud to have Murphy and other distinguished faculty represent it. "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," he said in a news release.¹

References

1. Price C. Texas A&M researcher Wiliam Murphy named 2025 SEC Professor of the Year. News release. Texas A&M University. March 24, 2025. Accessed March 24, 2025. https://stories.tamu.edu/stories/tamu-researcher-william-murphy-named-2025-sec-professor-of-the-year/
2. SEC honors outstanding educators with faculty achievement awards. News release. Southeastern Conference. February 24, 2025. Accessed March 24, 2025. https://www.secsports.com/news/2025/02/sec-honors-outstanding-educators-with-faculty-achievement-awards-2025
3. Texas A&M research redefines mammalian tree of life. News release. Texas A&M University. April 27, 2023. Accessed March 24, 2025. https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/press-releases/zoonomia/?highlight=zoonomia