Rae’s research in the Bush lab focuses on using native mass spectrometry to characterize the assembly, stoichiometry, and stability of proteins and protein complexes. These experiments reveal biologically relevant data that was previously inaccessible using more traditional structural biology techniques. She also works with the emerging structures for lossless ion manipulation (SLIM), which she will use to expand the portfolio and information content of gas-phase experiments for rapid characterization of protein structures and protein complexes.
Rae Eaton earned B.A degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry at Oberlin College in Ohio, with a focus on bioanalytical chemistry. As an undergraduate she work under Dr. Rebecca Whelan of Oberlin College, discovering DNA aptamers that could selectively bind HE4, an ovarian cancer biomarker, to facilitate the creation of new ovarian cancer assays. She also worked under Dr. Mark Parkin of Kings College London on an on-line microchamber that was used to metabolize performance-enhancing drugs for immediate analysis by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Publications:
- SJ Allen, RM Eaton, MF Bush. Structural Dynamics of Native-Like Ions in the Gas Phase: Results from Tandem Ion Mobility of Cytochrome C. Anal. Chem. 2017, 89, 7527-7534.
- SJ Allen, RM Eaton, MF Bush. Analysis of Native-like Ions Using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations. Anal. Chem. 2016, 88, 9118-9126.
- Eaton, R.M.; Shallcross, J.A.; Mael, L.E.; Mears, K.S.; Minkoff, L.; Scoville, D.J.; Whelan, R.J. Selection of DNA Aptamers for Ovarian Cancer Biomarker HE4 using CE-SELEX and High-throughput Sequencing. Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 2015, 407, 6965-6973.
Poster Presentation:
- “Structural Analysis of Native-Like Protein Ions using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM).” Poster Presentation. Advancing Mass Spectrometry Conference. July 2017. Authors: RM Eaton, SJ Allen, MF Bush. Received a travel award from AMS.
- “Stability of Trapped Native-like Protein Ions using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulation.” Oral Presentation. Cascadia Proteomics Symposium. July 2017. Authors: RM Eaton, SJ Allen, MF Bush.
- “New Characterization Tools for Biomolecules: Recent Developments in Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry” Oral Presentation. CPAC Summer Institute. July 2017. Authors: RM Eaton, MF Bush.
- “Ion Mobility Separation of Native-like Protein Complex Ions using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulation.” Poster Presentation. American Society for Mass Spectrometry Asilomar Conference. October 2016. Authors: RM Eaton, SJ Allen, MF Bush. Received a travel award from ASMS.
- Eaton, R.M.; Allen, S.J.; Bush, M.F. “Analysis of Native-like Ions Using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulation.” American Society for Mass Spctrometry Asilomar Conference. Pacific Grove, CA, 10/19/2015.
- Eaton, R.M.; Whelan, R.J. “Selection of HE4 Aptamers Using CE-SELEX”, Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, Chicago, IL, 3/3/2014.
Awards and Honors:
- ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry Graduate Research Fellowship
- Lloyd and Florence West Chemistry Fellowship, University of Washington
- NSF Graduate Research Fellow, 2015-2018
- PNNL Graduate Fellow, Spring 2015
- ARCS Foundation Fellow
- Inductee, Sigma Xi, Spring 2013
Outreach Work
- Current president, Women in Chemical Sciences
- Science Communication Fellow at the Pacific Science Center (including a recent Science and a Movie presentation)