The annual RDM Graduate Prize is awarded to current or recently graduated (within two years) students of RDM supervisors for exceptional achievement in their research.
Dr Lauren Murphy is a postdoctoral researcher specialising in platelet biology and nucleic acid interactions, with a particular focus on their roles in cancer biology and liquid biopsy. Her work combines fundamental cell biology with translational approaches aimed at improving cancer detection and understanding disease progression.
After completing her BSc in Medical Biochemistry, Lauren worked in industry as a laboratory scientist, contributing to the development of diagnostic assays for the detection and monitoring of haematological malignancies and related blood disorders.
She subsequently moved to Oxford to join Professor Beth Psaila's laboratory at the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (WIMM), initially as a research assistant. In this role, she led a CRUK Innovation Award–funded study exploring the role of platelets in early cancer detection, generating key preliminary data that supported the award of funding for a DPhil studentship. She went on to complete her DPhil in Medical Sciences at the University of Oxford under Professor Psaila's supervision.
Lauren has received the RDM Graduate Prize for her pioneering research into the cell biology of blood platelets, including her discovery that platelets sequester cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from plasma. Her work has revealed that platelets help regulate cfDNA levels in the body and can boost the sensitivity of cancer screening. This success was reflected in the publication of Lauren's DPhil project in Science, which was widely covered in the media.
The judging panel also highlighted her supervisor's assessment of her as naturally curious, persistent and inventive, with a clear ability to communicate complex science. This is backed by her exceptional record of presentation awards, routinely winning Best Talk, Best Abstract or equivalent recognition at nearly every local, national or international meeting she has attended.
On receiving her award, Lauren commented: 'I'm incredibly grateful to receive this award. I would like to thank my supervisors, collaborators and colleagues for their support and invaluable contributions, as well as the patients who donated samples - without whom this project would not have been possible. It has been a real privilege to work on a project I genuinely enjoy, and I feel very lucky to have done so within such a supportive and inspiring research community.'
Lauren will receive a prize of £500 and has been invited to present her work at RDM Day which takes place on Tuesday 17 March.