Professor Emily Que

Professor Emily Que
Department of Chemistry 
University of Texas at Austin
Printable Abstract

Adventures in Molecular Imaging: MRI contrast agents and Fluorescent tools for metalloenzymes

Molecular imaging is a powerful technique for visualizing and measuring (bio)chemical processes at the molecular and cellular levels in living systems. By designing sensors that generate specific signal outputs in response to target species or reactions, chemists can develop innovative diagnostic agents and gain deeper insights into biological processes. In this context, the Que lab focuses on creating molecular imaging and sensing platforms for applications in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) diagnostics and metallobiology. The primary focus of this presentation will be our development of fluorescent tools targeting metalloenzymes—critical components of the cellular metal ion pool that catalyze essential biochemical reactions. These tools enable the interrogation of metalloenzyme function in cells and organisms, offering promising potential for therapeutic and diagnostic advancements. Moreover, our probes provide a means to investigate how disruptions in metal homeostasis affect the metalation and activity of these enzymes. Key examples will include our work on zinc-dependent metalloenzymes, such as carbonic anhydrase, metallo-beta-lactamases, and histone deacetylases.

Emily Que

Professor Emily Que earned her BS in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 2004. She completed her PhD at the University of California, Berkeley, under the mentorship of Prof. Chris Chang in 2009, followed by postdoctoral research at Northwestern University with Profs. Tom O'Halloran and Teresa Woodruff. In 2014, she began her independent career in the Chemistry Department at the University of Texas at Austin, where she was granted tenure in 2021. Professor Que's research bridges inorganic chemistry and chemical biology, focusing on the development of imaging agents and sensors for clinical diagnostics, redox biology, and metallobiology. In addition to her research, she co-leads the NSF-funded CREATE program, offering paid summer research internships to local community college students, and has played a lead role in establishing a new research-based chemistry capstone program in her department at UT Austin.

Hosted by Professor Ambika Bhagi-Damodaran