Meet the Team Canada of Cancer Research: A Q&A with Dr. J. Patrick Murphy

Dr. J. Patrick Murphy is a cancer researcher and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at University of Prince Edward Island. His research focuses on advancing our understanding of cancer metabolism—how cancer cells consume and process nutrients differently from normal cells. His work, driven by cutting-edge mass spectrometry technology, explores how these metabolic differences can be targeted for new treatments.

We spoke with Dr. Murphy about his unconventional path into cancer research, the exciting discoveries emerging from his lab, and the importance of collaboration through the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network. From the role of technology to the impact of nationwide teamwork, he shares his insights into the evolving landscape of precision oncology.

We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.

Why did you become a cancer researcher? Was there a particular moment or experience that led to this decision?

Like many researcher’s paths, it wasn’t straight. I’m a strong believer that to understand any disease these days it’s wise to start with learning and developing new technologies and see where it takes you. For me, this technology was mass spectrometry (mass spec, for short). My very first work was in plants (potatoes to be exact). A big change came when I trained in Dr. Steve Gygi’s lab in the department of cell biology at Harvard for several years and during this time the capabilities of the mass spec were expanding like crazy. I knew that what mass spec was teaching us about cell biology was going to be transformational in diseases like cancer.  So the next step was just diving into that by applying mass spec to cancer, which I did at Dr. Patrick Lee’s laboratory at Dalhousie. We’ve made some cool, almost always unexpected, discoveries along the way and I’ve been doing cancer research ever since.

Cancer research is difficult: progress is slow and for every step forward there may be quite a few steps backwards or sideways. What inspires you to keep going? What life lessons have you learned through cancer research?

It’s slow in some ways but also fast. We’re collecting more data, faster than ever before in human history. The slow part is understanding what it means, what’s real, what’s not and what might be the most impactful to pursue. Technology is showing us stuff we never would’ve expected, and there is nothing more exciting in science than finding out something new about the inner workings of human (cancer) cells for the first time. Just in our lab alone, we have more leads on exciting biology that may be applicable to cancer than we could ever validate. Through cancer research I’ve learned to be adaptable. What we start out studying is almost never what we end up the most interested in so I’ve learned to let go of preconceived ideas and let the data guide the story.

How would you explain your current research focus to a cancer patient or their family member?

One of the things we’ve learned about cancer cells is their metabolism (what they like to “eat” and how they process it) is different than normal cells. This has actually been known for over 100 years but the research wasn’t easily done until more recently, when we developed the technology to do so. This different metabolism might be cancer’s Achilles heel and we’re learning how to target it for new treatments.

What impact do you hope your research will have on cancer treatment and the outcomes for patients?

We’re one of many labs across the world interested in cancer metabolism and there are now companies formed to develop diet and drug-based treatments for patients. The biology of metabolism is complex and the treatments will work better if we understand this complexity. So there is a growing field that our work contributes to and it will most certainly enhance the field’s ability to benefit patients.

Just like Terry Fox united Canadians nearly 45 years ago, the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network is uniting researchers, clinicians, patients and administrators from cancer treatment and research institutions across Canada to accelerate precision medicine. How important is this collaboration and what impact do you think it could have on cancer research and treatment?

I mentioned technology, and how it is important, but it is nearly impossible to be an expert in all of it. To an extent, it’s also wasteful to try. With the expertise required for each subfield of precision medicine it’s only possible through forming collaborative teams, where each group contributes their expertise towards a common goal. This also includes patients, who have contributed their very own tissues, and clinicians who see the value in accessing the expertise of the researchers. The cross-Canada scale of the project also increases its recognition and exposure to ensure it has the greatest chance of being used to inform patient care.  We’re also proud to be doing our research in PEI ensuring that both our trainees and “Islanders” affected by cancer, are included in this cross-Canadian effort.  

If a researcher, clinician, patient or donor asked you why the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network is important, what would you tell them?

In the year 2000 the human genome (the human genetic blueprint) was completed and was a monumental achievement for science but was a monumental effort. Many years later, we know that the blueprints of cancer differs across patients and we now need to link the blueprints to what’s actually going on in tumours to target them with precision. With new technology this has become less monumental, but requires coordinated efforts. The MOHCCN has been critical in coordinating efforts across folks with diverse expertise to not only collect tumour blueprints but to understanding how they can be targeted.  As researchers and individuals affected by cancer we are incredibly fortunate that the MOHCCN was formed since it is a primary way that precision medicine in cancer will be made available to Canadians with cancer.

What does Terry Fox mean to you? How does Terry inspire you?

My kids learn about Terry Fox in school, which means there will be a lasting awareness of cancer research. Terry’s run also drives home the effect that determination towards a goal can have a lasting and magnified impact beyond your years. Terry Fox passed by my house growing up. Based on his journal he did so on May 25, 1980 and raised over $600 (about $2400 current) which was his biggest day until that point, remarking that it was a beautiful morning and that PEI was beautiful. To think of the value that PEI cancer patients got in return on investment for that $600 is incredibly inspiring.