Brian Murphy

Brian Murphy, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Physiology at Drexel University College of Medicine. He serves as Pharmacology Thread Director for medical school curricula, oversees independent learning modules, and facilitates active learning sessions including simulations and case-based learning. His roles extend to teaching in graduate programs such as the Drug Discovery and Development master’s degree.

Education: PhD in Pharmacology (University of Toronto), MSc in Microbiology (University of Toronto), BSc (Hons) in Microbiology (University of Toronto).

Research Interests: Early-stage drug discovery targeting obesity, diabetes, and fibrosis; GPCR regulation; small molecule antagonists. His work led to BMS-986278, an LPA1 receptor antagonist progressing to Phase III trials for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Awards: 2025 Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence; 2022 Ondetti & Cushman Award for developing BMS-986278.

Advising/Grants: Former Scientific Director at Bristol Myers Squibb, leading drug discovery programs. Current focus on translating pharmacology education and clinical research.

Labs/Teams: Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams at Bristol Myers Squibb and Drexel’s biomedical programs.