![\"Richard](\"https:\/\/www.salk.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Rich_Murphy_9509-375x246-b7523f7b-2ec3-4abb-a88a-d664c47de9be.jpg\")
\nMay 20, 1944 – March 24, 2022
Credit: Salk Institute<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\nBefore his retirement, Murphy\u2019s research focused on proteins called neurotrophins, which are produced by cells in the brain and the peripheral nervous system. Neurotrophins promote the growth and survival of nerve cells, and they induce structural and chemical changes in brain synapses that may play a role in memory.\n<\/p>\n
\nMurphy was born May 20, 1944, in Revere, Massachusetts. He earned his AB from Holy Cross College in 1966; MS from Northeastern University in 1970; and PhD from Rutgers University in 1974. Murphy began his career as a researcher and award-winning teacher at Harvard Medical School (1974 to 1986). In 1986 he and his family moved to Edmonton, Alberta, where he joined the University of Alberta’s Medical Faculty as chair of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology (1986 to 1992). He then became director of the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University (1992 to 2000); president and CEO of the Salk Institute (2000 to 2007); and interim president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (2007 to 2008).\n<\/p>\n
\nAccording to his family, Murphy touched the lives of many over his career. He was widely admired for his integrity and his generosity as a mentor to the many students and faculty members in his charge. He was also known for his clever humor. His passions in life were his family, his love for science, boating on Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire and the game of golf.\n<\/p>\n
\nMurphy leaves his wife of 53 years, Elaine Murphy (n\u00e9e Finnegan) and their three children and their families: daughter Janet Murphy, MD, her husband Devin Advani and their sons Nick and Adam of Arlington, Massachusetts; son Mark Murphy, his wife Glyncora and their daughter Lily of New York City, New York; and Alison Murphy, her husband Jeremy Byrgesen and their son Jack of North Vancouver, British Columbia. He also leaves two brothers and their families: Ken Murphy, MD and his wife Rosemary of Freeport, Maine; and Mike Murphy and his partner Cheryl of North Conway, NH.\n<\/p>\n
\nA private memorial celebration is being planned for Murphy in Boston later in spring. Donations in his memory are welcome either to the American Brain Tumor Association (bit.ly\/DonateABTA) or to the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund (www.ouimet.org), which awards need-based college scholarships to deserving young men and women who have worked at Massachusetts golf courses.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","faculty":[],"disease-research":[],"class_list":["post-34223","disclosure","type-disclosure","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n