Welcome to the Ortlund Lab
We use sophisticated structural biology techniques such as x-ray crystallography and mass spectrometry coupled with an array of biochemical techniques to gain a molecular level understanding of transcriptional signaling - with a particular focus on lipid mediated signaling and transport. We currently pursue structural and biochemical studies of human nuclear receptors, which are lipid regulated transcription factors that play central roles in development, cancer, stress and metabolism. We have also made seminal contributions to the field of molecular evolution using nuclear receptors as a model system to study how tight molecular partnerships evolve.
Latest News
- January 2021, New Publication. Congratulations to the Ortlund Lab for their publication in Nat Chem Biol. titled, "Chemical systems biology reveals mechanisms of glucocorticoid receptor signaling".
- January 2021, New Award. Congratulations to the Ortlund Lab on being awarded a Lilly Research Award Program (LRAP) grant from Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals to pursue the structure and function of LRH-1 modulators.
- January 2021, New Award. Congratulations to the Xu Liu on being awarded a grant from the Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne’s. Award title: "Vamorolone and DMD heart: Elucidating the molecular mechanism of action as a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist".
- January 2021, New Lab Member. New BCDB Graduate Student, André Cuevas, joins the lab.
- December 2020, New Publication. Congratulations to the Ortlund Lab for their publication in Sci Rep titled, "Enantiomer-specific activities of an LRH1 and SF-1 dual agonist".
- November 2020, New Publication. Congratulations to the Ortlund Lab for their publication in J. Biol Chem titled, "Human genetic variants disrupt RGS14 nuclear shuttling and regulation of LTP in hippocampal neurons".
- October 2020, New Publication. Congratulations to the Ortlund Lab for their publication in Nat Commun titled, "The Rho-GEF PIX-1 directs assembly or stability of lateral attachment structures between muscle cells".
- September 2020, New Award. Congratulations to Sam Druzak on earning a Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral NRSA!
- August 2020, New Publication. Congratulations to the Ortlund Lab for their publication in Bioorg Med Chem Letter titled, "Development of a new class of liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1) agonists by photoredox conjugate addition". Five people from the lab contributed to this paper: Lee Cato, Emma D'agostino, Anamika Patel, Suzanne Mays (alum), and Dr. Ortlund.
- July 2020, New Publication. Congratulations to the Ortlund Lab for their article in Cell Reports, titled, "The lncRNA Growth Arrest Specific 5 Regulates Cell Survival via Distinct Structural Modules with Independent Functions".
- July 2020, New Publication. Congratulations to the Ortlund Lab for their article in Vaccines, titled, "Alterations in the Human Plasma Lipidome in Response to Tularemia Vaccination".
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July 2020, New Publication. Congratulations to the Ortlund Lab for their article in Cell Mol Gastroenterol, titled, "Proline rich acidic protein-1 (PRAP1) protects the gastrointestinal epithelium from irradiation-induced apoptosis."
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June 2020, New Research Study. Dr. Ortlund and GA Tech researchers from the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium have been chosen to participate in a six-year NIH-funded program to recruit thousands of participants to reveal impact of physical exercise at the molecular level.
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June 2020, New Publication. Congratulations to the Ortlund Lab for their Journal of Medical Chemistry publication titled, "Development of the First Low Nanomolar Liver Receptor Homolog-1 Agonist through Structure-guided Design". The authors include former lab members Suzanne Mays, Denise Okafor, Heather Donalson, and current members Elizabeth Millings and lab director and professor, Eric Ortlund.
- April 2020, Successful PhD Defense. Matthew Tillman, PhD, successfully defended his thesis and will be joining Dr. Rawls’ Lab at Duke University, fall 2020.
- January 2020, New Publication. The lab published a paper titled, "Rewiring Ancient Residue Interaction Networks Drove the Evolution of Specificity in Steroid Receptors," in Structure. Denise Okafor is first author.
- August 2019, Congratulations! Congratulations to postdoctoral fellow Dr. Denise Okafor on accepting a position as an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Pennsylvania State University! We are so proud of you, Denise!
- May 2019, New Grant. Congratulations to Filipp Frank and Dr. Ortlund on receiving a Winship Invest$ Grant!
- January 2019, New Travel Award. Congratulations to Emma D'Agostino on being invited to attend the 2019 RapiData course at SLAC (Stanford University); Emma also received a travel award for this course.
- January 2019, Invited Presentation.Congratulations to Filipp Frank on being invited to give a talk at the 2019 Keystone Symposium on RNA-Protein Interactions/Long Non-Coding RNAs
- January 2019, Poster Presentation.Congratulations to Cato on presenting a poster at the 2019 DSAC Symposium.
- January 2019, Award. Congratulations to Emma D'Agostino on earning 1st place in the Oral Presentation category at the 2019 DSAC Symposium.
- January 2019, Award.Congratulations to Matt Tillman on earning 2nd place in the Oral Presentation category at the 2019 DSAC Symposium.
- December 2018, New Travel Award. Congratulations to Emma D'Agostino on earning a travel award to present a poster at the 2019 ASBMB Conference in Orlando, Florida.
