Michael Murphy is Professor of Mitochondrial Redox Biology at the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit. He addressed the neglected therapeutic strategy of decreasing mitochondrial dysfunction by pioneering the targeting of bioactive molecules to mitochondria. He has had a particularly profound impact on ischaemia-reperfusion injury, where his work has both transformed our understanding of the pathology and led to the rational development of new classes of therapy. |His work led to the development of mitochondria-targeted antioxidants, which protect against oxidative damage in a range of animal models and was the first mitochondria-targeted drug to enter human trials. Mitochondria are now seen as an important drug target due to his work.