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Susan Kay Murphy

Associate Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Sciences
Duke PO Box 90534, the Chesterfield Building, Durham, NC 27701
701 W. Main Street, Suite 510, Room 5140, Durham, NC 27701

Research Interests



  • ovarian cancer epigenetics
  • therapeutic prevention of ovarian cancer recurrence
  • development of epigenetic screening tools
  • developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD)
  • preconceptional environmental impact on the epigenome
  • intergenerational and transgenerational epigenetic effects
  • in vitro models of cellular differentiation 

Selected Grants


Duke Women's Reproductive Health Research Scholars

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development · 2020 - 2030

Duke-NCCU Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Training Program in Child Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Conditions Program (DN-IPT)

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institute of Mental Health · 2024 - 2029

Duke University Program in Environmental Health

Inst. Training Prgm or CMECo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences · 2019 - 2029

Duke KURe Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases · 2013 - 2028

Molecular Mechanisms for Resolving Air Pollution Induced Pulmonary Inflammation: Potential Differences by Asthma and Sex (RAPIDAS)

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences · 2023 - 2028

Genomic Imprinting in the Development of NAFLD

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases · 2024 - 2028

The Southeastern Liver Health Cohort Study

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by North Carolina State University · 2023 - 2027

Paternal Preconception Toxic Exposure and Autism Risk

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2025 - 2027

Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health - BIRCWH

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases · 2002 - 2027

Non-canonical role of Ninjurin 1 (NINJ1) in the ferroptosis of recurrent ovarian cancer

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2024 - 2026

The role of ferroptosis in the metastatic ovarian cancer

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance · 2022 - 2025

Population Health Research Support IDIQ Base

Clinical TrialInvestigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2025

Disabling metastasis by the targeting the ferroptosis protection mechanism of serum

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2023 - 2025

Paternal Preconception Pesticide Exposure Effects on Neurodevelopmental Impairment in Their Offspring

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Autism Research Institute · 2023 - 2024

Population Health Research Support - Study of Pregnancy and Neonatal Health (SPAN) Task A

Clinical TrialInvestigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2019 - 2024

Follow-up and Maintenance of the Newborn Epigenetics STudy (NEST) Cohort

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by North Carolina State University · 2018 - 2024

Role of Age-Related Changes in the Tumor Microenvironment on Ovarian Cancer Progression

ResearchCollaborator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2024

Potential pathophysiologic mechanisms linking air pollution exposure in pregnant women to reduced birth weight

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by University of Rochester · 2017 - 2024

The Southeastern Liver Health Cohort Study

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by North Carolina State University · 2021 - 2023

Social adversities, epigenetics, and the obesity epidemic

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by North Carolina State University · 2017 - 2023

Translational Research in Surgical Oncology

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2002 - 2022

Paternal Transgenerational Epigenetic Legacy from Use of Cannabis

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by John Templeton Foundation · 2017 - 2022

Pharmacological Sciences Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEParticipating Faculty Member · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 1975 - 2020

Organization and Function of Cellular Structure

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 1975 - 2020

Children Exposure to SVOC Mixtures Indoors and Associations with Obesity

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2017 - 2020

Epigenomics in insulin resistance associated overactive bladder

ResearchMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2017 - 2020

Genetic and Epigenetic Markers of Progressive Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

ResearchMentor · Awarded by American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases · 2018 - 2020

Epigenetics and the Development of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

ResearchMentor · Awarded by American College of Gastroenterology · 2015 - 2019

Duke University Program in Environmental Health

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences · 2013 - 2019

Neurodevelopment and Improving Children's Health Following EtS Exposure (NICHES)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2013 - 2019

Neurodevelopment and Improving Children's Health following EtS exposure (NICHES)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Environmental Protection Agency · 2013 - 2019

Triggering human anti-tumor stringent response to target recurrent ovarian cancer

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2017 - 2019

Immune regulated amino acid pathways in Alzheimer's Disease

ResearchCollaborating Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2016 - 2018

Pilot Project: Effects of Cannabis on the Epigenome of Humans and Rats

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by John Templeton Foundation · 2016 - 2017

Joint Environmental, Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation of Tyrosine Receptor Kinases and Childhood Respiratory Disease

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Southern California · 2013 - 2017

Functional Genomic Screens of Tumor Recurrence in Ovarian Cancer

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2014 - 2017

Cancer Biology Training Grant

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Cancer Institute · 1993 - 2016

Obesity and deregulation of imprinted genes in early life

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2010 - 2015

Epigenetic influence on the early childhood self-regulation capacities and obesity

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2011 - 2014

Ovarian Cancer Initiating Cells: Metabolic Characterization

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2012 - 2014

Gene Regulation in Recurrent Ovarian Cancers

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Gynecologic Cancer Foundation · 2011 - 2014

Disparities in cervical cancer precursors and deregulation of imprinted genes

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2010 - 2014

Nutrition, Deregulation of Imprinted Genes and Rapid Weight Gain in Early Life

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2009 - 2014

Characterizing Alcohol's Effects on Repair of Liver Injury

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2009 - 2012

Identification and Characterization of Epigenetically Labile Genes

ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2006 - 2010

In-utero Exposure and Infant Loss of IGF2 Imprinting

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2006 - 2008

Imprinted PEG3 Domain at 19q13.4 and carcinogenesis

FellowshipPI-Fellow · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2001 - 2003

External Relationships


  • Apple Inc.
  • Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society
  • Society of Reproductive Investigation
  • The John Templeton Foundation
  • The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies, institutions, or organizations listed above. This information is available to institutional leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.