Thomas Murray, MD, PhD
Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Disease)Cards
Appointments
Additional Titles
Associate Chair for Quality & Safety, Pediatrics
Associate Medical Director , Infection Prevention
Affiliated Faculty , Yale Institute for Global Health
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Associate Chair for Quality & Safety, Pediatrics
Associate Medical Director , Infection Prevention
Affiliated Faculty , Yale Institute for Global Health
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Associate Chair for Quality & Safety, Pediatrics
Associate Medical Director , Infection Prevention
Affiliated Faculty , Yale Institute for Global Health
Contact Info
About
Titles
Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Disease)
Associate Chair for Quality & Safety, Pediatrics; Associate Medical Director , Infection Prevention ; Affiliated Faculty , Yale Institute for Global HealthBiography
Dr. Thomas Murray is a Professor at the Yale University School of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics, Section of Infectious Disease where he serves as the Fellowship Director and the Associate Medical Director for Infection Prevention at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital. He is also the Medical Director of the Winchester Pediatric Tuberculosis Clinic. After receiving his MD and PhD from the University of Connecticut, he completed pediatric residency at Yale New Haven Hospital. He remained at Yale, completing fellowships in both pediatric infectious diseases and medical microbiology and returned to the faculty of the Yale Medical School in 2018. He studies infection prevention and disinfection in the healthcare and home environment as well as host pathogen interactions during pulmonary infections with an emphasis on children with Cystic Fibrosis
Appointments
Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Interim Section ChiefDualPediatric Infectious Diseases
ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Center for Immersive Technologies
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Consultation Program
- Pediatrics
- Red College Affiliates
- Winchester Pediatric Tuberculosis Program
- Yale CARES
- Yale Medicine
Education & Training
- Winchester Fellow in Medical Microbiology
- Yale University School of Medicine (2008)
- Fellowship
- Yale University School of Medicine (2007)
- Residency
- Yale-New Haven Hospital (2003)
- MD
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine (2000)
- PhD
- University of Connecticut (2000)
Research
Overview
Pulmonary infection in cystic fibrosis (CF): Prevention, pathogenesis and treatment
Global Aim: Identify optimal methods to prevent and treat pulmonary infections in children with CF. There are two arms of the research program:1) Understanding the host/pathogen interaction and inflammation in CF; 2) Disinfection and infection prevention in the CF home and in the community
1) Understanding the host/pathogen interaction and inflammation in CF.
Increased inflammation in the CF lung contributes to premature patient morbidity and mortality. Both chronic infection and underlying dysfunction of the immune system in CF are fundamental to this increased inflammation. Heme-oygenase (HO), an enzyme that activates anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial cellular responses, is reduced in CF. Dr. Emanuela Bruscia and I are leading a team that is testing potential therapies (see below) to restore HO activity and reduce inflammation to normal levels. Furthermore, we are studying the interaction between Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common CF pulmonary pathogen, and CF host cells to understand how chronic infection prevents the resolution of inflammation.
This work involves a novel drug, Sanguinate (Prolong pharmaceuticals), bovine hemoglobin saturated with carbon monoxide, as a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial drug that, in vitro, can reduce the hyper-inflammation observed in CF macrophages via correcting the reduced expression of the
HO pathway. Future work will study whether Sanguinate has in vivo antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties in animal models of pulmonary infection. If successful, these studies will lay the groundwork for potential clinical trials partnering with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutic Drug Network.
2) Disinfection and infection prevention in the CF home and community.
The burden of home care for children and families with CF is extensive, requiring multiple daily treatments. Home respiratory equipment can be contaminated with lung pathogens, providing a potential source of re-infection with each nebulization. I have studied how different home disinfection techniques kill common CF bacterial pathogens on nebulizers and whether repeated disinfection with these methods changes nebulizer function. Recently, this disinfection research has extended beyond CF to the community, studying bacterial contamination from hand dryers in bathrooms to determine optimal hand drying techniques.
Future questions regarding infection prevention that my team is working on include: 1) What is the risk to patients for aerosolizing bacteria on home nebulizer equipment? Few studies have examined the factors, (e.g. biofilm formation, hydration) that impact bacterial dispersion during nebulization. 2) Do all disinfection methods work equally well on clinical isolates? We will test clinical CF bacterial isolates under different disinfection conditions to determine the preferred method. 3) Do user friendly disinfection methods result in improved patient quality of life? We will measure compliance and the burden of home care for different disinfection methods. We anticipate that the results of these studies will be generalizable beyond the CF population and impact families with other diseases that require home nebulizers. I continue to study infection prevention in the community comparing bacterial contamination from different hand drying methods, forced air hand dryers or paper towels, with a focus on anaerobic bacteria including Clostridium difficile. This work will help determine best practice hand drying techniques.
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Barbara Kazmierczak, MD, PhD
Emanuela Bruscia, PhD
Marie Egan, MD
Richard A Martinello, MD
Kavin Patel
Walter S. Gilliam, PhD
Publications
2024
Younger Age and Female Gender Are Associated with Delayed Antibiotics in Pediatric Sepsis
Kandil S, Lee S, Feinn R, Murray T. Younger Age and Female Gender Are Associated with Delayed Antibiotics in Pediatric Sepsis. Journal Of The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society 2024, piae064. PMID: 38889196, DOI: 10.1093/jpids/piae064.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCharacterizing healthcare personnel attitudes toward receipt of a voluntary bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine during a COVID-19 outbreak at a behavioral health hospital in Connecticut
Roberts S, Willebrand K, Fredrick J, Pischel L, Patel K, Murray T, Martinello R. Characterizing healthcare personnel attitudes toward receipt of a voluntary bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine during a COVID-19 outbreak at a behavioral health hospital in Connecticut. Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology 2024, 4: e87. PMID: 38774120, PMCID: PMC11106727, DOI: 10.1017/ash.2024.78.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricThe diagnostic utility of obtaining two blood cultures for the diagnosis of early onset sepsis in neonates
Fleiss N, Shabanova V, Murray T, Gallagher P, Bizzarro M. The diagnostic utility of obtaining two blood cultures for the diagnosis of early onset sepsis in neonates. Journal Of Perinatology 2024, 44: 745-747. PMID: 38409330, DOI: 10.1038/s41372-024-01914-6.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
1841. Younger age and female gender are associated with delayed antibiotics in pediatric sepsis
Kandil S, Lee S, Feinn R, Murray T. 1841. Younger age and female gender are associated with delayed antibiotics in pediatric sepsis. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2023, 10: ofad500.1669. PMCID: PMC10678741, DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofad500.1669.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAntibiotic administrationSepsis severityFemale genderNeonatal intensive care unitRetrospective cohort reviewDiagnosis of sepsisIntensive care unitExposure of interestChi-square testingPediatric sepsis mortalityIntravenous antibioticsCare bundleICU admissionCohort reviewSepsis mortalitySepsis recognitionPrimary outcomeCare unitFemale patientsHospital diagnosisLevel carePediatric sepsisAntibiotic delayBackground SepsisPediatric mortalityFighting the hidden pandemic of antimicrobial resistance in paediatrics: recommendations from the International Pediatric Association
Pana Z, El-Shabrawi M, Sultan M, Murray T, Alam A, Yewale V, Dharmapalan D, Klein J, Haddad J, Thacker N, Pulungan A, Hadjipanayis A. Fighting the hidden pandemic of antimicrobial resistance in paediatrics: recommendations from the International Pediatric Association. BMJ Paediatrics Open 2023, 7: e002084. PMID: 37500294, PMCID: PMC10387713, DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2023-002084.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsCharacterizing healthcare worker attitudes toward the bivalent COVID-19 booster
Willebrand K, Fredrick J, Pischel L, Patel K, Roberts S, Murray T, Martinello R. Characterizing healthcare worker attitudes toward the bivalent COVID-19 booster. Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology 2023, 3: s56-s57. PMCID: PMC10594485, DOI: 10.1017/ash.2023.300.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBooster doseBehavioral health unitHealthcare workersHealth unitsCOVID-19COVID-19 outbreakInpatient behavioral health unitFirst booster dosePrimary vaccination seriesCOVID-19 vaccinationCOVID-19 exposureBehavioral health settingsMonovalent vaccinationVaccination seriesBooster dosesBooster vaccineComplete responsePrevious vaccinationVaccine uptakeHealth HospitalGeneral populationSide effectsPsychiatric hospitalHealth settingsDemographic dataReducing MRSA Infection in a New NICU During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Barrett R, Fleiss N, Hansen C, Campbell M, Rychalsky M, Murdzek C, Krechevsky K, Abbott M, Allegra T, Blazevich B, Dunphy L, Fox A, Gambardella T, Garcia L, Grimm N, Scoffone A, Bizzarro M, Murray T. Reducing MRSA Infection in a New NICU During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Pediatrics 2023, 151 PMID: 36625072, DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-057033.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsInvasive MRSA infectionsInfection prevention strategiesMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureusMRSA infectionOutcome measuresPrevention strategiesCOVID-19 pandemicMultidisciplinary quality improvement initiativeLevel IV NICUSubsequent invasive infectionsMRSA colonization rateCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemicHealthcare Improvement's ModelQuality improvement initiativesDisease 2019 pandemicEffectiveness of interventionsPersonal protective equipmentSupply chain shortagesHospitalized neonatesInvasive infectionsPatient daysSkin colonizationHand hygieneMost NICUsNICU
2022
Masking in early child care and COVID-19 infection
Murray T, Malik A, Gilliam W. Masking in early child care and COVID-19 infection. TheScienceBreaker 2022, 8 DOI: 10.25250/thescbr.brk665.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDisinfection of Virtual Reality Devices in Health Care Settings: In Vitro Assessment and Survey Study
Roberts S, Havill N, Flores RM, Hendrix C, Williams MJ, Feinn RS, Choi SJ, Martinello RA, Marks AM, Murray TS. Disinfection of Virtual Reality Devices in Health Care Settings: In Vitro Assessment and Survey Study. Journal Of Medical Internet Research 2022, 24: e42332. PMID: 36269222, PMCID: PMC9756115, DOI: 10.2196/42332.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricRecruited monocytes/macrophages drive pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation and irreversible lung tissue remodeling in cystic fibrosis
Öz H, Cheng E, Di Pietro C, Tebaldi T, Biancon G, Zeiss C, Zhang P, Huang P, Esquibies S, Britto C, Schupp J, Murray T, Halene S, Krause D, Egan M, Bruscia E. Recruited monocytes/macrophages drive pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation and irreversible lung tissue remodeling in cystic fibrosis. Cell Reports 2022, 41: 111797. PMID: 36516754, PMCID: PMC9833830, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111797.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsC motif chemokine receptor 2Monocytes/macrophagesLung tissue damageCystic fibrosisTissue damageCF lungPulmonary neutrophilic inflammationPro-inflammatory environmentChemokine receptor 2CF lung diseaseNumber of monocytesSpecific therapeutic agentsGrowth factor βCF transmembrane conductance regulatorLung hyperinflammationLung neutrophiliaNeutrophilic inflammationNeutrophil inflammationInflammation contributesLung damageNeutrophil recruitmentLung diseaseLung tissueReceptor 2Therapeutic target
Academic Achievements and Community Involvement
honor Champion of Children
Regional AwardCenter for Children's AdvocacyDetails06/09/2022United Stateshonor Norman J Siegel Faculty Award
Yale School of Medicine AwardDepartment of PediatricsDetails06/23/2021United States
Clinical Care
Overview
Thomas Murray, MD, PhD, is a pediatric infectious disease specialist with expertise in treating and preventing infections in children with lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis and tuberculosis.
“I enjoy doing research in infectious disease, contributing to discoveries that improve the lives of children who are dealing with infections, and learning how to prevent and treat new infections like COVID-19 as they emerge,” Dr. Murray says. “Infectious diseases and infection prevention are rapidly changing fields. I am continually learning new ways to prevent and treat infections and enjoy sharing the most up-to-date information with my patients.”
Dr. Murray is the medical director of the Winchester Pediatric Tuberculosis Clinic. And as associate medical director for infection prevention for Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital, he is part of a team that has worked very hard to make it safe for children and families to receive care in the hospital, he says.
He currently has research funding from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and is interested in novel methods of surface disinfection.
Clinical Specialties
Fact Sheets
Pediatric Sepsis
Learn More on Yale MedicinePreventing Infections in the NICU
Learn More on Yale MedicineTuberculosis
Learn More on Yale MedicineMeningitis
Learn More on Yale Medicine
Yale Medicine News
Are You a Patient?
View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.
View Doctor ProfileLinks & Media
Media
- A clinical strain from a patient with Cystic Fibrosis
News
- July 30, 2024Source: Becker's Hospital Review
Yale names associate chair of pediatric quality, safety
- July 29, 2024
Thomas Murray, MD, PhD, FAAP Named Associate Chair for Quality and Safety in the Department of Pediatrics
- June 13, 2024
Why Choose Yale Pediatrics for Infectious Disease Fellowship
- June 04, 2024Source: Yahoo
Why do I keep getting colds every few weeks? 4 reasons why
Get In Touch
Contacts
Locations
Patient Care Locations
Are You a Patient? View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.