Michael Murphy graduated in Medicine from University College Cork in 1973. After his postgraduate training in Dublin and at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School in London, he received his doctorate from the National University of Ireland in 1984.  He held faculty positions in Pharmacology and Medicine at The University of Chicago before returning to Cork as Professor of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics in 1992. An expert in drug therapy for cardiovascular disease, he has led several large international clinical trials of interventions to reduce cardiovascular mortality.

Professor Murphy has held a variety of leadership roles including President of UCC, Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Ireland, Chair of the Health Research Board of Ireland, Chair of the Irish Universities Association, Chair of the Permanent Working Group (PWG) of European Hospital Doctors. A member of the EUA Board since 2017, he was elected President in April 2019.