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About the Emili Lab

Our group is recognized internationally for our groundbreaking work in Functional Proteomics, Protein Mass Spectrometry and Network Biology, and our goal is leadership in these competitive, evolving domains.

As a pioneer of 'interactome' science, our team is expert in the generation, analysis and translation of molecular interaction networks to explore fundamental biological processes and disease mechanisms. Our lab’s research output is prolific. Since 2000, we have performed >25,000 mass spectrometry experiments and have reported tens of thousands of protein interactions in diverse models, ranging from microbes to human cells.  

 

Because protein interactions are essential to proper development and health, and because defective protein assemblies underlie most pathologies, work by the Emili group is relevant to multiple biomedical disciplines, including mechanistic studies, structural modeling, protein annotation, experimental design, and healthcare. Our research findings are widely accessed via public databases, and our own dedicated web portals and publications.  As of 2024, we have produced 300+ high-impact peer-reviewed papers, including 75 in the past 5 years alone, which have garnered over 40,000 citations (h-index 85+). These include some of the largest proteome-scale studies of soluble and membrane protein interaction networks relevant to human health and disease including cancer that were published in Cell (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2012), Cell Systems (2020), Nature (2005, 2006, 2012, 2015), Nature Communication (2022, 2023), Nature Biotechnology (2002, 2018), Nature Methods (2008, 2014, 2015, 2019), and Molecular Cell (2004, 2020), and Science (2010).

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Meet our Team

Currently, our group consists of 15 highly skilled and productive members active in protein mass spectrometry, biochemistry, molecular biology, analytical chemistry, and bioinformatics. The Emili group strives for leadership, service and research excellence. To date, our laboratory has mentored over 150 research trainees/highly qualified personnel, many of whom now occupy senior academic leadership positions.  

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In addition to teaching cutting-edge methods and concepts, we strive for a dynamic learning environment, fostering entrepreneurial post-doctoral fellows and graduate students who tackle important biomedical problems using integrative ‘systems’ approaches.  Our training plan, honed over 20 years, cultivates scientific excellence, multidisciplinary skills, and collaboration, to produce high confident and capable individuals who are well prepared for independent research careers. Many alumnae now occupy leadership positions in academia, industry and healthcare, including Professors Gerard Cagney (University College Dublin), Lekha Sleno (University of Quebec in Montreal), Thomas Kislinger (University of Toronto), Dajana Vuckovic (Concordia University), Mohan Babu (University of Regina), and Senior Scientist Gareth Buland (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories).

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Group Leader and PI - Professor Andrew Emili

Andrew Emili is the Principal Investigator at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute in Portland, Oregon; operating within the Department of Oncological Services. Dr. Emili recently made the move to OHSU in late 2022, hailing from Boston University. Dr. Emili was a Full Professor in the Department of Biology and Department of Biochemistry, Cell Biology and Genomics at Boston University. Prior to joining BU in July 2017, Prof. Emili was a Principal Investigator (since 2000) and founding member of the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, and a Professor in Molecular Genetics, at the University of Toronto, and the Ontario Research Chair in Biomarker Discovery (2007-2017).

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Dr. Emili is an internationally recognized leader in protein interaction networks and the development of innovative technologies to systematically characterize protein complexes on a proteome-scale. He directs a multidisciplinary research laboratory with a track record in cutting-edge proteomics and systems biology. His group develops and applies innovative methods to characterize macromolecules of broad biomedical significance, publishing ‘global’ interaction maps of unprecedented quality, scope and resolution (eg. Babu, Nature 2012; Havugimana, Cell, 2012, Wan, Nature 2015).

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Dr. Emili received his PhD in Molecular and Medical Genetics from the University of Toronto in 1997. From 1997 to 2000, he pursued post-doctoral studies as a Damon Runyon/Walter Winchell Cancer Research Fellow with the Nobel laureate Leland Hartwell at the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center in Seattle, while learning protein mass spectrometry with John Yates III at the University of Washington.

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Since establishing his independent research laboratory in 2000, Dr. Emili has developed and applied innovative proteomics, functional genomics and bioinformatics methods to investigate biological systems and molecular association networks in human cells and model organisms. In particular, his lab uses quantitative, high precision mass spectrometry to characterize protein complexes in a comprehensive, high-throughput manner. His group aims for breakthrough insights into the composition and mechanistic role of protein complexes in diverse cells and tissues, with the long-term goal of translating this basic knowledge into new diagnostics, prognostics and therapeutics.

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Dr. Emili has published 200 papers with >24,000 citations (h-index 68), including genome-wide studies of soluble and membrane protein complexes in yeast (Cell 2005; Nature 2006; Mol Cell 2004; Nature 2012), E. coli (Nature 2005; PLoS Biol 2009; 2017 in review), and human (Cell 2012; Cell Rep 2014; Nature 2015), documenting hundreds of complexes linked to disease. His influence is widely recognized; he reviews regularly for prominent journals, serves on grant review panels, and his groups data is often accessed via public databases. Dr. Emili was editor of "Network Biology" and "Systems Analysis" books with >24,000 e-downloads, and he has given >140 talks at research conferences, international symposia and workshops.

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Education

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1990-1996       MSc+PhD - Molecular and Medical Genetics, University of Toronto

1997-2000       Postdoctoral Fellow, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA

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Interests

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Science, family, white wine (not all at once)

Join our Team

We are always looking for talented, passionate and dedicated people to join our team. Discover today where you and your bright future fit in with the Emili Group.

We have many interesting genome-scale projects for enthusiastic and enterprising graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (with experience in Biochemistry, Bioanalytical Chemistry, Proteomics/Genomics, and Molecular and Cell Biology), to complement the methods and concepts that you have worked on in your undergraduate and Ph.D. studies, respectively, and to get you on the way with your own productive and successful scientific career. Email Devri at hartled@ohsu.edu if you are interested in hearing more.

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