We use cookies on this site to enhance your experience.
By selecting “Accept” and continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies.
I am a recently appointed Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Biophysics from Algoma University, where I started my academic appointment as assistant professor in the Department of Biology. Prior to my time at AU and transitioning to Wilfrid Laurier University as Faculty of Science Research Chair and assistant professor of Health Sciences, I completed an NSERC-funded PhD in Biomolecular Sciences from Laurentian University. I was then recruited to the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University as a postdoctoral fellow, where I developed a successful research program grounded in regenerative biology and in comparative cognition with Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University for over 3 years. It was during this time where I also was a teaching fellow at Harvard University in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology.
Combating any pathological state requires comprehensive and the integration of interdisciplinary models of cellular communication. Just as chemicals instruct cells to divide, grow, and specialize to form organisms, so to do biophysical signals. Mechanical, optical/magnetic, and electrical signals are pervasive in the cell’s microenvironment but are only now being recognized as determinants of cell fate and plasticity. My lab adopts a top-down approach to understand the biophysical language of cellular communication toward transformative breakthroughs in human disease. Specifically, combining state-of-the-art techniques from several fields including neuroscience, regenerative medicine, and cancer biology, my research investigates how cancer cell fate can be re-programmed by modulating tissue microenvironments, reverting cells to healthy states. Along with this, my lab investigates the mutual relationships between cancers, their microenvironments, and distant organ systems such as the brain which express cancer-related alterations of function including neurocognitive impairment.
- Faculty of Science Tier 2 Distinguished Research Chair (2023)
- Tier II Canada Research Chair – Tissue Biophysics (2022)
- Minister of Colleges and Universities Award of Excellence (2022)
- STRIVE Young Professional Visionary Award – Health Science (2022)
- NSERC Science Exposed Jury Prize Winner (2021)
- Murugan NJ, Vigran HJ, Miller KA, Golding A, Pham QL, Kane AW, Kaplan DL, Levin M (2022) Acute multi-drug delivery via a wearable bioreactor facilitates long-term limb regeneration and functional recovery in adult Xenopus laevis. Science Advances. 8(4):eabj2164. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abj2164
- Murugan NJ, Kaltman D, Jin PH, Chien M, Martinez R, Nguyen CQ, Kane, A, Novak R, Ingber D, Levin M (2021) Mechanosensation dependant Long-Range Decision Making in a Non-neural organism. Advanced Materials. 33(34):e2008161. doi:10.1002/adma.202008161
- Rouleau N, Murugan N, Kaplan D (2021) Towards Cognition in a Dish. Trends in Cognitive Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2021.01.005
- Rouleau N, Murugan NJ, Rusk W, Koester C, Kaplan DL. (2020). Matrix deformation with ectopic cells induced by rotational motion in bioengineered neural tissues. Annals in Biomedical Engineering. doi: 10.1007/s10439-020-02561-6
- Murugan, NJ., Persinger, M.A., Karbowski, L.M., Dotta, B.T. (2020) Ultraweak Photon Emissions as a Non-Invasive, Early-Malignancy Detection Tool: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study. Cancers. 12, 1001: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12041001
- Murugan NJ, Rouleau N, Karbowski LM, Persinger MA (2018) Biophotonic Markers of Malignancy: Discriminating Cancers using Wavelength-Specific Biophotons. Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports. 13:7-11. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2017.11.001.
- Murugan NJ, Karbowski LM, Persinger MA (2017) Synergistic Interactions Between Temporal Coupling of Complex Light and Magnetic Pulses upon Melanoma Cell Proliferation and Planarian Regeneration. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine. 36(2):141-148. doi: 10.1080/15368378.2016.1202838.
- Murugan NJ, Persinger MA (2014) Comparisons of Responses by Planarian to microMole to attoMole dosages of Morphine or Naloxone and/or Weak Pulsed Magnetic Fields: Revealing Receptor Subtype Affinities and Nonspecific Effects. International Journal of Radiation Biology. 90, 833-840.
- Dotta B.T., Murugan NJ., Karbowski L.M., Lafrenie R.M., Persinger M.A. (2014) Shifting Wavelengths of Ultraweak Photon Emissions from Dying Melanoma Cells: Their Chemical Enhancement and Blocking Are Predicted by Cosic’s Theory of Resonant Recognition Model for Macromolecules. Naturwissenschaften. 101(2):87-94.
- Vanderbeck KA, Giroux L, Murugan NJ, Karbowski LM (2014) Combined Therapeutic Use of Oral Alitretinoin and Narrowband Ultraviolet-B Therapy in the Treatment of Hailey-Hailey Disease: A Case Report. Dermatology Reports. 6: 5604
- Murugan NJ, Karbowski LM, Lafrenie RM, Persinger MA (2013) Temporally-Patterned Magnetic Fields Induce Complete Fragmentation in Planaria. PLOS ONE. 8(4): e61714.
- HE431/BI416 – Pathophysiology
- HE440 – Cancer Biology
(2022 – Education News Canada) Tier II Canada Research Chair Tissue Biophysics Award Announcement
(2022 – Wall Street Journal) Frogs Regrow Missing Limbs in Lab Study, Advancing Key Effort of Regenerative Medicine
(2022 – New York Times) Frogs Without Legs Regrow Leglike Limbs in New Experiment
(2021 – Forbes) Intelligent Beings Without Brains Are Abundant In Nature–A Growing Scientific Consensus
(2021 – CBC) How studying brainless slime mold could help better understand human intelligence
(2021 – CBC) Researcher studying how to predict, prevent chemo brain
Contact Info: