Ethan Greenblatt

Ethan Greenblatt is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences Institute. His research program focuses on translational control mechanisms in biology, utilizing Drosophila oocytes as a model system to investigate how cells rapidly adapt their proteomes through mRNA translation. His work has significant implications for understanding the molecular basis of reproductive and neuronal disorders caused by misregulated translation.

His educational background includes:

• Postdoctoral Fellowship at Carnegie Institution for Science (2020)
• PhD from Stanford University (2011)
• BS from The College of William and Mary (2005)

Dr. Greenblatt's research centers on how large cells like oocytes and neurons rapidly alter their proteomes by activating translation when needed. His laboratory discovered that Fmr1, a gene mutated in autism and ovarian disorders, is part of a system that translates many of the largest proteins encoded in the genome. His team studies translational control using ribosome profiling, RNA sequencing, genetic screens, and cell-type specific perturbations to identify novel factors and understand their roles in development and aging. A key finding is that translation declines by more than 50% during oocyte aging, which is associated with meiotic failure and infertility.

Analysis of Dr. Greenblatt's publication record reveals a clear research trajectory from early work on ERAD (Endoplasmic Reticulum-Associated Degradation) pathways and protein quality control to his current focus on translational control in developmental contexts. His most recent publications demonstrate sophisticated integration of ribosome profiling, computational biology, and Drosophila genetics to investigate how translational regulation impacts reproductive aging and neurodevelopmental disorders. A recurring theme across his work is the connection between molecular mechanisms of protein synthesis regulation and human disease pathogenesis, particularly autism spectrum disorders and ovarian dysfunction.

Dr. Greenblatt leads a research team including:

• Kayla Judson (Research Technician)
• Xueling Kong (Undergraduate Researcher)
• Lucy Chi (Undergraduate Researcher)

His laboratory philosophy emphasizes diversity, inclusion, and community engagement, with guiding principles of kindness, honesty, and integrity. The lab combines molecular and genomic approaches including ribosome profiling, RNA sequencing, single molecule FISH, and CRISPR gene-editing with phenotypic screening to identify critical factors and discover their molecular functions in translational control.