DJ Murry, PharmD

This profile is part of a series to highlight the researchers who will be honored at a ceremony on Feb. 24 for UNMC's 2021 Scientist Laureate, Distinguished Scientist, New Investigator and Community Service to Research Award recipients.

• Name: Daryl (DJ) Murry, PharmD 
• Title: Professor, UNMC Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, College of Pharmacy 
• Joined UNMC: November 2015 
• Hometown: Columbus Junction, Iowa

Research focus:   

• Personalized therapeutics
• Pharmacology 

Why is research important in the world today? Research is critical in the world today to help us generate new knowledge to improve all aspects of society. For every breakthrough, there are new, unanswered questions that must be researched. 

My research will make a difference because:  

My research will increase our knowledge of patient specific factors that influence drug response, toxicity and outcome and lead to the development of strategies to optimize drug use across disease states. 

The best advice I’ve ever received is:  

Sometimes research can be a slog (his words), continue to push through. Surround yourself with talented people who share the desire to make a difference in the life of a patient and who have the ability to collaborate across disciplines. It will make your research journey much more memorable.   

Three things you may not know about me are: 

• I grew up on a farm and am a first-generation college graduate. 
• My wife, Janice, and I have three children, Logan, Rylan and Jenae, and a 13-year-old dog, Taz.  
• I have a large comic book collection dating back to the 1960s.