Laura Murray

Background

About Laura Murray

I am a Research Scientist at the National Institute on Drug Abuse and a licensed Clinical Psychologist. I design and lead research projects related to neuroscience, mental health, and addiction. I manage and motivate a team of early-career researchers and coordinate multidisciplinary groups to conduct and disseminate scientific research that improves mental health outcomes. With a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and 15 years of experience conducting large-scale neuroscience research on mental health, I thrive at the intersection of data, strategy, and execution. I’ve managed multi-million-dollar projects with tens of thousands of samples, secured over $100K in independent research funding, led multidisciplinary teams, leveraged data analytics to inform high-impact decisions, and shared research insights in high-impact scientific journals and presentations to international audiences. I have extensive skills in data analysis, management, and visualization, using tools such as R, shell scripting, MATLAB, SPSS, and Mplus. I have also designed and analyzed neuroimaging and digital phenotyping experiments and conducted thousands of hours of structured qualitative interviews in research and clinical contexts on sensitive topics. Whether coordinating stakeholders, streamlining workflows, or translating complex data into actionable insights, I bring a strategic mindset and a results-driven approach to every initiative.