Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Biography

2019-present

Associate Professor, University of Notre Dame

2015-2019

Research Associate Professor, University of Notre Dame

2009-2015

Research Assistant Professor, University of Notre Dame

2003-2009

Applied Biosystems (AB Sciex), Mass-Spectrometry-Proteomics Group

2005

Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Texas A&M University

1997

B.S. in Microbiology, University of Iowa

Research Interests

The Champion group is primarily interested in developing and exploiting novel approaches to identify and characterize the components of secreted proteins from virulent microorganisms. We heavily utilize the 'awesome power of genetics' coupled with state-of-the art quantitative proteomics to enrich, identify and quantify the proteins responsible for biological phenotypes. We have ongoing projects in pathogenic mycobacteria, protein translation in E. coli through the PTRN, and quantitative protein secretion measured using capillary electrophoresis. One example is described below.

Mycobacteria, the causative agent of tuberculosis, like most organisms secretes proteins for biochemical functions. Secreted proteins are a proteome of 'target'-enriched material which contains virulence-factors, antigenic-determinants, and targets for treatment/detection. EsxA and EsxB (ESAT-6 and CFP10) are essential virulence factors exported by mycobacteria and other Gram positive pathogens. Identification of proteins that are required for effective synthesis and secretion of these crucial virulence determinants has been hindered by a lack of saturating genetic screens; high-throughput biochemical detection, and accurate quantification of disease phenotypes. We designed orthogonal antibody-free assays using a slew of proteogenetic approaches to comprehensively dissect the individual contribution of gene products towards a functioning disease secretion system (ESX-1) in pathogenic mycobacterium. This framework is highly extensible to the analysis of other pathogen and protein secretion systems, and has uncovered novel genes, pathways, and crosstalk among secretion systems.

Recent Publications

• Andersen, M. J.; Fong, C.; La Bella, A. A.; Molina, J. J.; Molesan, A.; Champion, M. M.; Howell, C. and Flores-Mireles, A. L. "Inhibiting Host-Protein Deposition on Urinary Catheters Reduces Associated Urinary Tract Infections" 2022 ELIFE, 11, e75798. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.75798.
• Smith, C.; Canestrari, J. G.; Wang, A. J.; Champion, M. M.; Derbyshire, K. M.; Gray, T. A. and Wade, J. T. "Pervasive Translation in Mycobacterium Tuberculosis" 2022 ELIFE, 11, e73980. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.73980.
• Yang, C.; Dominique, G. M.; Champion, M. M. and Huber, P. W. "Remnants of the Balbiani Body are Required for Formation of RNA Transport Granules in Xenopus Oocytes" 2022 ISCIENCE, 25 (3), 103878. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103878.
• Huge, B. J.; Young, K.; Kerr, C.; Champion, M. M. and Dovichi, N. J. "3-D Printed Injection System for Capillary Electrophoresis" 2022 Analytical Methods, 14 (11), pp.1163-1168. DOI: 10.1039/d2ay00075j.
• Ahrens, C. H.; Wade, J. T.; Champion, M. M. and Langer, J. D. "A Practical Guide to Small Protein Discovery and Characterization using Mass Spectrometry" 2022 Journal of Bacteriology, 204 (1), e00353-21. DOI: 10.1128/JB.00353-21.
• Nicholson, K. R.; Mousseau, C. B.; Champion, M. M. and Champion, P. A. "The Genetic Proteome: Using Genetics to Inform the Proteome of Mycobacterial Pathogens" 2021 PLOS Pathogens, 17 (1), e1009124. DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009124.

 

>> See full list of publications at PubMed >>