Murphy L. Y. Wan, PhD
Dr Wan currently holds dual appointments as Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth and Senior Research Scientist at the Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University. She has > 10 years of research experience in biomedical science field, including oncology, immunology and microbiology. She has published extensively, including Nature Biotechnology, Nature Communications, Nature Reviews Urology, International Journal of Cancer, Scientific Reports, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition (h-index 19, Google Scholar).
She established her independent research programme at University of Portsmouth in 2021, where her current research focuses largely on discovery of novel therapies for infectious diseases or cancer, through understanding of the complex interplay between diet/pathogens, immune system as well as gut microbiome. Her projects involve integration of different molecular approaches and omics technologies for in-depth investigation of disease mechanisms and discoveries of novel biomarkers that can be translated in future clinical settings.
Dr Murphy Wan welcomes MRes and PhD students. Please email murphy.wan@port.ac.uk to discuss further.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (2015) - The University of Hong Kong
Fields of study: Toxicology, Microbiology and Immunology
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Master of Philosophy (2012) - The University of Hong Kong
Fields of study: Nutritional Toxicology
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Bachelor of Sciences in Food and Nutritional Sciences (2009) -
The University of Hong Kong
Qualifications & Professional membership
Fellow of Higher Education Academy, 2022 -
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Member of Royal Society of Biology, 2023 -
Grants, Awards & Scholarships
Grants
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Endowments for the Natural Sciences, Medicine and Technology – Medicine, Royal Physiographic Society of Lund, 2023
Project title: Evaluating the effect of MYC inhibition by bacterial Lon
protease on infection-associated disease outcomes and its
toxicity (Role: PI)
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Academy of Finland Project funding for biosciences, health and environmental research, 2023
Project title: Delineation of molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-tumorigenic effects of dietary polyphenol X on colon cancer (Role: Co-I)
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SoCoBio Industry Co-funded Studentship, GABA Labs Ltd, 2022
Project title: Comparative effects of alcohol and GABA mimetics on the brain-gut-microbiota (BGM) function (Role: Co-I)
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Competitive Faculty PhD bursary, University of Portsmouth, 2022
Project title: Development of colon-targeted delivery system for colon cancer (Role: PI)
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ARUK South Coast Pump Priming Grant, ARUK South Coast, 2022
Project title: The role of amyloid beta oligomers on gut microbiota (Role: PI)
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Endowments for the Natural Sciences, Medicine and Technology – Medicine, Royal Physiographic Society of Lund, 2022
Project title: Exploring the use of bacterial Lon protease as MYC inhibitor for treating acute pyelonephritis infection (Role: PI)
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Endowments for the Natural Sciences, Medicine and Technology – Medicine, Royal Physiographic Society of Lund, 2020
Project title: Understand the potential role of c-MYC regulation on renal tissue development following acute pyelonephritis (Role: PI)
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Endowments for the Natural Sciences, Medicine and Technology – Medicine, Royal Physiographic Society of Lund, 2018
Project title: Understand the relationship between c-MYC and RNA polymerase II expression in affecting cellular response to urinary tract bacterial infection (Role: PI)
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Awards and Scholarships
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Outstanding Contribution Award of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Nutrition Journal 2019
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IUTOX Junior Travel Award 2016
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SOT Food Safety SS Burdock Group Travel Award 2014
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Li Po Chun Postgraduate Scholarship 2013
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J. G. Philips Memorial Scholarship, 2012
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HKU Postgraduate Scholarship, 2009 – 2014