Rinki Murphy

Rinki Murphy is a New Zealand endocrinologist, and is a full professor of molecular medicine at the University of Auckland, specialising in diabetes pathophysiology and precision medicine.

Academic career
Murphy undertook her medical training at the University of Auckland, before completing a PhD at the University of Plymouth. Murphy then joined the faculty of the University of Auckland, rising to full professor. Murphy works as a physician in the Auckland and Counties Manukau District Health Boards. Murphy is a member of the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, a New Zealand Centre of Research Excellence. Murphy is an emeritus member of the Healthier Lives National Science Challenge. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. From 2019, Murphy served two years as the Honorary Medical Director of the Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa.

Murphy is a diabetologist, and studies the pathophysiology of diabetes and obesity. She aims to use genetics to identify biomarkers for diabetes risk in order to develop precision medicine treatment strategies. Her research identified that New Zealand patients would benefit from greater genetic testing for a specific rare type of diabetes, monogenic diabetes. Patients with monogenic diabetes are frequently misdiagnosed as having Type 2 diabetes and may be treated with insulin, when precision medicine shows they are generally better off on tablets. Murphy also led research that showed bariatric surgery in New Zealand was a 'postcode lottery'.

Murphy leads a specialist weight management service Te Mana Ki Tua that was opened in June 2023. The unit serves the south Auckland area.