Maureen A. Murtaugh, PhD

Languages spoken: English

Academic Information

Departments: Internal Medicine - Professor, Nutrition and Integrative Physiology - Adjunct Associate Professor, Population Health Sciences - Adjunct Professor

Divisions: Epidemiology

Academic Office Information

maureen.murtaugh@hsc.utah.edu

Research Interests

  • Cancer
  • Epidemiology
  • Nutrition
  • Nutrition Surveys
  • Nutrition and Metabolism Statistics
  • Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Maureen Murtaugh, PhD, RD, is a Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Epidemiology in the School of Medicine at the University of Utah and an investigator of the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

As an Nutrition Epidemiologist, her research interests include diet and dietary patterns as they influence chronic diseases, such as cancer. Dr. Murtaugh received her doctoral degree in Nutritional Sciences from The University of Connecticut and received training in epidemiology in the Division of Epidemiology the University of Minnesota. In the past, Dr. Murtaugh served as Director of the Dietetic Internship and Associate Professor at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center · Rush University. This combination of clinical, and research experience is useful in her collaborations with clinicians regarding the relationship of diet to diseases including cancer, systemic sclerosis, kidney and heart disease, and obesity.

Education History

Postdoctoral Fellowship University of Minnesota, Division of Epidemiology
Cardiovascular Epidemiology 		Postdoctoral Fellow
Doctoral Training University of Connecticut
Nutritional Sciences 		Ph.D.
Undergraduate Syracuse University
Dietetics 		B.S.

Selected Publications

  1. Sheng X, Wang J, Shaw JM, Murtaugh MA, Nygaard IE (2022). Pelvic Floor Support and Symptoms 1 Year Postpartum in Relation to Excess Body Habitus Before, During and After First Vaginal Birth. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg, 28, 273-279.
  2. Frech TM, Murtaugh MA, Amuan M, Pugh MJ (2021). The frequency of Raynaud's phenomenon, very early diagnosis of systemic sclerosis, and systemic sclerosis in a large Veteran Health Administration database. BMC Rheumatol, 5(1), 42.
  3. Hicks PM, Murtaugh MA, DeAngelis MM (2021). The possible impact of increased physical intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 pandemic on ocular health. SAGE Open Med, 9, 20503121211035263.
  4. Hicks PM, Au E, Self W, Haaland B, Feehan M, Owen LA, Siedlecki A, Nuttall E, Harrison D, Reynolds AL, Lillvis JH, Sieminski S, Shulman JP, Barnoya M, Noguera Prera JJ, Gonzalez O, Murtaugh MA, Williams LB, Farkas MH, Crandall AS, DeAngelis MM (2021). Pseudoexfoliation and Cataract Syndrome Associated with Genetic and Epidemiological Factors in a Mayan Cohort of Guatemala. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 18(14).
  5. Nygaard IE, Bardsley T, Sheng X, Murtaugh MA, Shaw JM (2020). Habitus and Pelvic Floor Symptoms and Support 1 Year Postpartum. Obstet Gynecol, 137(5), 821-830.
  6. Kagabo R, Okuyemi K, Eden E, Kapellusch J, Murtaugh MA, Hegmann KT, Thiese MS (2020). Psychosocial Factors and Tobacco Use among Commercial Truck Drivers. [Letter to the editor]. J Occup Environ Med, 62(12), e774.
  7. Hicks PM, Haaland B, Feehan M, Crandall AS, Pettey JH, Nuttall E, Self W, Hartnett ME, Bernstein P, Vitale A, Shakoor A, Shulman JP, Sieminski SF, Kim I, Owen LA, Murtaugh MA, Noyes A, DeAngelis MM (2020). Systemic Disease and Ocular Comorbidity Analysis of Geographically Isolated Federally Recognized American Indian Tribes of the Intermountain West. J Clin Med, 9(11).
  8. Robbins RB, Thiese MS, Ott U, Wood EM, Effiong A, Murtaugh M, Kapellusch J, Cheng M, Hegmann K (2020). Metabolic Syndrome in Commercial Truck Drivers: Prevalence, Associated Factors, and Comparison With the General Population. J Occup Environ Med, 62(7), 453-459.
  9. Kagabo R, Okuyemi K, Eden E, Kapellusch J, Murtaugh MA, Hegmann KT, Thiese MS (2020). Psychosocial Factors and Tobacco Use Among Commercial Truck Drivers. J Occup Environ Med, 62(6), 439-444.
  10. Okorie O, Thiese MS, Murtaugh MA, Sheng X, Handy R, Hegmann K (2019). Relationships Between Poor Health and Calories From Fat Among Commercial Truck Drivers. J Occup Environ Med, 61(11), 944-948.
  11. Frech TM, Murtaugh MA (2019). Non-invasive digital thermal monitoring and flow-mediated dilation in systemic sclerosis. Clin Exp Rheumatol, 37 Suppl 119(4), 97-101.
  12. Luo G, Stone BL, Koebnick C, He S, Au DH, Sheng X, Murtaugh MA, Sward KA, Schatz M, Zeiger RS, Davidson GH, Nkoy FL (2019). Using Temporal Features to Provide Data-Driven Clinical Early Warnings for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma Care Management: Protocol for a Secondary Analysis. JMIR Res Protoc, 8(6), e13783.
  13. Overbury RS, Murtaugh MA, Frech TM, Steen VD (2018). A normal diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide is rare in incidental pulmonary arterial hypertension in systemic sclerosis: Data from the Pulmonary Hypertension Assessment and Recognition of Outcomes in Scleroderma cohort. J Scleroderma Relat Disord, 3(3), 237-241.
  14. Viau KS, Jones JL, Murtaugh MA, Gren LH, Stanford JB, Bilder DA (2016). Phone-based motivational interviewing to increase self-efficacy in individuals with phenylketonuria. Mol Genet Metab Rep, 6, 27-33.
  15. Luo G, Stone BL, Sakaguchi F, Sheng X, Murtaugh MA (2015). Using Computational Approaches to Improve Risk-Stratified Patient Management: Rationale and Methods. JMIR Res Protoc, 4(4), e128.
  16. Murtaugh MA, Frech TM (2012). Nutritional status and gastrointestinal symptoms in systemic sclerosis patients. Clin Nutr, 32(1), 130-5.
  17. Yang D, Baumgartner RN, Slattery ML, Wang C, Giuliano AR, Murtaugh MA, Risendal BC, Byers T, Baumgartner KB (2013). Dietary intake of folate, B-vitamins and methionine and breast cancer risk among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women. PLoS One, 8(2), e54495.
  18. Edwards SL, McFadden M, Lanier AP, Murtaugh MA, Ferucci ED, Redwood DG, Tom-Orme L, Slattery ML (2013). Construct validity of the SF-12 among American Indian and Alaska Native people using two known scoring methods. J Health Care Poor Underserved, 23(3), 1123-36.
  19. Frech T, Ma KN, Ferrucci ED, Lanier AP, McFadden M, Tom-Orme L, Slattery ML, Murtaugh MA (2013). Prevalence of fracture and osteoporosis risk factors in American Indian and Alaska Native people. J Health Care Poor Underserved, 23(3), 1157-73.
  20. Redwood DG, Lanier AP, Johnston JM, Murphy N, Murtaugh MA (2012). Reproductive cancer risk factors among Alaska Native women: the Alaska Education and Research Towards Health (EARTH) Study. Womens Health Issues, 22(4), e387-93.
  21. Murtaugh MA, Filipowicz R, Baird BC, Wei G, Greene T, Beddhu S (2012). Dietary phosphorus intake and mortality in moderate chronic kidney disease: NHANES III. Nephrol Dial Transplant, 27(3), 990-6.
  22. Krishnamurthy VM, Wei G, Baird BC, Murtaugh M, Chonchol MB, Raphael KL, Greene T, Beddhu S (2012). High dietary fiber intake is associated with decreased inflammation and all-cause mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. Kidney Int, 81(3), 300-6.
  23. Frech T, Gordon L, Chung L, Bolster M, Segal B, Impens A, Goldberg A, Hsu V, Derk CT, Khanna D, Hinchcliff M, Murtaugh MA, Steen V (2012). Vasodilatory therapeutics in the Pulmonary Hypertension Assessment and Recognition of Outcomes in Scleroderma (PHAROS) Cohort. [Review]. Rheumatology (Oxford), S1, 007.
  24. Murtaugh MA, Frech TM (November 2011). Nutrition in Systemic Sclerosis [Abstract]. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 63.
  25. Frech TM, Khanna D, Maranian P, Frech EJ, Sawitzke AD, Murtaugh MA (2011). Probiotics for the treatment of systemic sclerosis-associated gastrointestinal bloating/ distention. Clin Exp Rheumatol, 29(2 Suppl 65), S22-5.
  26. Murtaugh MA, Herrick J, Sweeney C, Guiliano A, Baumgartner K, Byers T, Slattery M (2011). Macronutrient composition influence on breast cancer risk in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women: the 4-Corners Breast Cancer Study. Nutr Cancer, 63(2), 185-95.
  27. Frech T, Novak K, Revelo MP, Murtaugh M, Markewitz B, Hatton N, Scholand MB, Frech E, Markewitz D, Sawitzke AD (2011). Low-dose naltrexone for pruritus in systemic sclerosis. Int J Rheumatol, 2011, 804296.
  28. Slattery ML, Murtaugh MA, Lanier AP, Ma KN, Ferucci ED, Etzel RA, Edwards S (2009). Family health history and health behaviors in Alaska native and American Indian people. J Health Care Poor Underserved, 20(3), 678-94.
  29. Sweeney C, Baumgartner KB, Byers T, Giuliano AR, Herrick JS, Murtaugh MA, Slattery ML (2008). Reproductive history in relation to breast cancer risk among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women. Cancer Causes Control, 19(4), 391-401.
  30. Murtaugh MA, Sweeney C, Giuliano AR, Herrick JS, Hines L, Byers T, Baumgartner KB, Slattery ML (2008). Diet patterns and breast cancer risk in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women: the Four-Corners Breast Cancer Study. Am J Clin Nutr, 87(4), 978-84.
  31. Slattery ML, Murtaugh MA, Schumacher MC, Johnson J, Edwards S, Edwards R, Benson J, Tom-Orme L, Lanier AP (2006). Development, implementation, and evaluation of a computerized self-administered diet history questionnaire for use in studies of American Indian and Alaskan native people. J Am Diet Assoc, 108(1), 101-9.
  32. Murtaugh MA, Herrick JS, Sweeney C, Baumgartner KB, Guiliano AR, Byers T, Slattery ML (2007). Diet composition and risk of overweight and obesity in women living in the southwestern United States. J Am Diet Assoc, 107(8), 1311-21.
  33. Murtaugh MA, Herrick JS, Sweeney C, Baumgartner KB, Guiliano AR, Byers T, Slattery ML (2007). Diet composition and breast cancer risk in Hispanic and WNH women from the Four Corners States [Abstract]. American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting: Proceedings.
  34. Murtaugh MA, Ma KN, Caan BJ, Sweeney C, Wolff R, Samowitz WS, Potter JD, Slattery ML (2005). Interactions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor {gamma} and diet in etiology of colorectal cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 14(5), 1224-9.
  35. Jacobs DR Jr, Murtaugh MA (2000). It's more than an apple a day: an appropriately processed, plant-centered dietary pattern may be good for your health. Am J Clin Nutr, 72(4), 899-900.