Cat genes, Pink Floyd and Metallica

As an undergraduate, Dr. William Murphy, discovered research was “cool” under the tutelage of a professor who shared his passion for rock music and discovery. Recently, Dr. Murphy, a researcher in the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, was named the 2025 SEC Professor of the Year, becoming the third Texas A&M professor to garner the honor in the past seven years. In this episode of At Ease, General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III, president of Texas A&M University, sits down with Dr. Murphy to talk about his remarkable research into cat genetics and how it has contributed to our understanding of the human genome – enabling advancements in cancer research among other areas – in this KAMU Studios-produced podcast.