Research

Frederick A. Murphy is Professor, Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston. His professional interests include the pathology and epidemiology of highly pathogenic viruses/viral diseases: (1) Rabies: long running studies leading to the identification of more than 25 viruses as members of the virus family Rhabdoviridae, identification and characterization of the first rabies-like viruses, and major studies of rabies pathogenesis in experimental animals, including the initial descriptions of infection events in salivary glands and in muscle. (2) Arboviruses: long running studies of togaviruses and bunyaviruses with the initial proposal for the establishment and naming of the virus family Bunyaviridae, and characterization of "reo-like" viruses culminating in the establishment and naming of the virus genus Orbivirus. (3) Viral hemorrhagic fevers: long running studies leading to the initial discovery of Marburg and Ebola viruses, and characterization of several other hemorrhagic fever viruses, culminating in the establishment and naming of the virus families Arenaviridae (e.g., Lassa virus) and Filoviridae (Marburg and Ebola viruses), and elucidation of the pathology and pathogenesis of the diseases in man, monkeys, hamsters and guinea pigs caused by these exceptionally virulent agents. (4) Viral encephalitides: long running studies of the pathogenesis of neurotropic viruses in experimental animals, including alphaviruses, flaviviruses, bunyaviruses, enteroviruses, paramyxoviruses, herpesviruses, and others. He has been a leader in advancing the concept of “new and emerging infectious diseases” and “new and emerging zoonoses,” which has reinvigorated and reenergized the infectious disease research sciences. Most recently his interests have included the threat posed by bioterrorism.