Eric Gouaux

Eric Gouaux is a Professor at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and a Senior Scientist at the Vollum Institute, where he leads the Gouaux Lab. He has held prestigious positions including Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) since 2000 and the Jennifer and Bernard Lacroute Endowed Chair in Neuroscience Research since 2015.

• B.A. and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Harvard University
• Postdoctoral work at Harvard and MIT
• Assistant Professor at University of Chicago (1993) and Columbia University (1996)

His research focuses on elucidating molecular mechanisms of synaptic receptors and transporters using cryo-EM, x-ray crystallography, and electrophysiology. Key areas include glutamate receptors, dopamine/serotonin transporters, and ligand-gated ion channels, with implications for neuroscience and drug development.

Recent publications highlight advances in Cryo-EM techniques, structural insights into AMPA and GABAA receptors, and mechanisms of neurotransmitter transporters. His work bridges structural biology and neuroscience, emphasizing membrane protein dynamics and pharmacological targeting.

Scientific Awards:

• Searle Scholar (1994)
• Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow (1996)
• NINDS Javits Investigator Award (2008)
• NIMH MERIT Award (2009)
• Discovery Award, Medical Research Foundation of Oregon (2009)
• National Academy of Sciences member (2010)
• Physiological Society Annual Review Prize Lecture (2013)
• Anatrace Membrane Protein Award (2016)
• National Academy of Medicine member (2020)

Gouaux contributes to advancing membrane protein research through leadership in the Pacific Northwest Cryo-EM Center (PNCC) and HHMI. His work has profoundly impacted understanding of synaptic transmission and neurotransmitter transport mechanisms.