Michael L. M. Murphy

Dr. Michael L. M. Murphy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Texas Tech University. He holds a B.S. from the University of Washington (2009), M.A. from the University of British Columbia (2011), and Ph.D. from Northwestern University (2016). His research focuses on the intersection of health, clinical, and social psychology with immunology and microbiology, examining how social relationships affect physical and psychological health through biological mechanisms. Specific interests include stress biology, immune system regulation, and the psychosocial factors influencing disease risk and resilience.

Dr. Murphy’s work bridges psychosocial stress research with immunological outcomes, investigating topics such as intergenerational stress transmission, cortisol regulation, and the impact of social integration on health. His studies often employ longitudinal designs and biomarker analysis (e.g., cytokines, gene expression) to explore mechanisms linking social experiences to physical health outcomes like asthma severity, common cold resistance, and lung function. Recent work highlights the role of hugs in mitigating negative mood from interpersonal conflict and the moderating effects of age on social integration and hormonal responses.

His publications appear in journals like Psychological Science, Health Psychology, and Biological Psychology. Notable contributions include demonstrating how parental separation impacts adult immune function and identifying inflammatory biomarkers associated with social rejection in adolescents. He is currently reviewing applications for the 2025-2026 academic year.