Welcome to the Emmott Lab!

We are hiring!!! – See ‘people’ page.

  • PDRA positions for ~April 2024 start will be advertised in the next few weeks, but feel free to get in touch for more information!
    • PDRA 1 – 2 years with potential for extension.
      • Project – Investigating cellular substrates of viral proteases, skills in SARS-CoV-2, siRNA/CRISPR and general molecular biology/biochemistry needed.
    • PDRA 2 – 3 years with potential for extension.
      • Project – Studying coronavirus replication, skills in CL2/3 coronavirus culture, and coronavirus reverse genetics needed.
  • Funded PhD studentships for Oct 2024 start!
    • Funded PhD studentship 1 in single-cell proteomics/multi-omics methods development – more details here. Deadline Jan 15th.
    • Funded PhD studentship 2 studying the Rift Valley fever RdRP interactome – primarily with the Kohl lab @ LSTM – more details here. Deadline Jan 21st.
  • Please see the People page for what we are looking for in PhD/PDRA applicants

 

What we do: RNA virology & proteomics!

The Emmott Lab uses and develops proteomic methods to study viruses and how they replicate and interact with their hosts. In particular, we are interested in RNA viruses important for human and animal health such as Norovirus and SARS-CoV-2. The lab does what is known as ‘basic science’: early-stage investigations which lay the groundwork for more applied or clinical studies. By learning the fundamentals of how these viruses replicate and interact with the cells they infect, we can learn how to treat infections, design better vaccines or antiviral drugs, or even convert viruses from pathogens into useful gene therapy or anticancer tools.

 

The lab makes extensive use of and develops mass spectrometry-based proteomic methods in its work, including single-cell proteomics (SCoPE2). These methods are used alongside virology, molecular biology, microscopy, and integrative ‘omics approaches to answer questions on how RNA viruses replicate and interact with the host cell.

 

Research themes:

Research in the lab falls under three main themes:

Lab Research Areas: RNA virus replication, Protein cleavage and Proteomic methods.

 

Where to find us:

Centre for Proteome Research, University of Liverpool

Liverpool, UK
The Emmott Lab is part of the Centre for Proteome Research (CPR) at the University of Liverpool alongside the Eyers and Chetwynd labs, which all make heavy use of mass spectrometry to answer biological questions. The CPR’s remit is the ‘advancement of technological capabilities for proteomics analysis across the biological and biomedical sciences’. All three groups are also part of the Department of Biochemistry, Cell & Systems Biology, within the Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology.

Alongside research, the CPR has a role as one of the University of Liverpool’s Shared Research Facilities (SRF). The SRF provides a proteomics service and collaborative access to users wishing to apply mass spectrometry to their own research. For more details on the SRF please see here.

 The city of Liverpool is in the North-West of England, with a population of 490,000 and 2.2 million living in the wider Liverpool metropolitan area. A historic port city, Liverpool city was named European Capital of Culture in 2008, hosted Eurovision on behalf of Ukraine in 2023, and contains the most art galleries and museums of any city in the UK outside London. It is most famous for music (The Beatles), football (Liverpool F.C. & Everton), and its architecture.

Unlike London, Liverpool benefits from very affordable cost of living. It also has good transport links by rail and car to nearby Manchester, as well as Birmingham and London. The local Liverpool John Lennon Airport also offers domestic and international flights.

 

Funding:

The Emmott lab is grateful to its funders for supporting the labs work. Research in the Emmott lab is currently supported by a Wellcome Career Development Award [227831/Z/23/Z], and by the MRC [MR/X000885/1], Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard [SBF006\1008] (supported by Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS), the Wellcome Trust, the Government Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK), and the BBSRC.

Previously the lab has received support from the Royal Society, UK-ICN (UK-International Coronavirus Network), the Houghton Trust and University of Liverpool Wellcome ISSF funds.