Assistant Professor
Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics
Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience (TAMU/TAMHSC)

4104 Medical Research and Education Building
8447 State Highway 47
Bryan, TX 77807-3260
Phone: 979-436-0331
Fax: 979-436-0086
Email: ivmurray@medicine.tamhsc.edu

Affiliated with the Program of Healthy Aging: www.programonhealthyaging.info

Education

Ph.D., Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

Postdoctoral Training, Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
B. Sc., Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada, Hon. Co-op

Research Interests

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease and it is the most common form of dementia. This disease has devastating effects on the affected individual, and imposes a tremendous strain on both caregivers and soci-economics. The major risk factor for AD is age, and thus the incidence of AD is expected to double in the US in the next 40 years as the population ages. While therapeutics alleviate the symptoms of the disease, there is currently no cure for this devastating neurodegenerative disease.

Recent novel findings shed new light on the pathology of this disease. Some findings implicate specific misfolded forms of the Amyloid beta protein (Aβ) to play an important role in the disease. Others have identified the detrimental role of free radical damage and oxidative stress in this disease. Our laboratory's goals are to understand the detrimental role protein misfolding and oxidative stress in development of AD pathology. We utilize a variety of biochemical, histological, lipidomic and proteomic experimental approachs, including in vivo experiments, examination of pathological specimens, C .elegans and mouse models, to understand the pathologic mechanisms in this disease.

Our work additionally allows for current translational research into drug and biomarker development. The translational aspects of our laboratory center on biomarker and drug development for this disease. Identification of new biomarkers will enable earlier diagnosis of AD as well as provide a means to monitor the efficacy of therapeutic manipulations. We are characterizing the efficacy of several potential biomarkers to predict AD from non-AD cases. Finally, we are currently characterizing the efficacy of several potential compounds which prevent Aβ misfolding and aim to translate these findings to models of AD.

I participate in graduate training as a member of the faculty in the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience.

http://medicine.tamhsc.edu/institutional-advancement/faculty-stories/murray.html

Selected Publications

(Search for Murray articles in PubMed)