1. Richelle SOPKO, Ph.D.
Citizenship: Canadian, Permanent resident of the United States (Green card holder)
Biologist with a background in functional genomics and proteomics, and expertise in
kinase-target characterization and kinase-dependent signaling.
- Specialist in kinase mechanism of action assays and kinase-substrate interaction characterization
- Trained in bottom up quantitative proteomics to find kinase targets and functional phosphorylation
- Expertise with cell and transgenic animal-based experiments to investigate cellular signaling
- Extensive experience in genetic manipulation: RNAi delivery based gene disruption and validation
- Proficient in organizing, handling and analyzing large datasets
- Experience driving collaborative projects, managing technicians and teaching students
TECHNICAL SKILLS
§ Protein biochemistry and molecular biology: protein expression and purification (E. coli,
yeast, Sf9 cells); site-directed mutagenesis; quantitative real-time PCR; Western blotting; in cell
Western assays; co-immunoprecipitations; in vitro kinase assays; molecular cloning, chromatin
immunoprecipitation; yeast 2-hybrid assays; 2-D gel electrophoresis with isoelectric focusing;
pull-down assays, mobility shift assays
§ Cell Biology: cell culture (fly, mouse and mammalian cells); stable cell line generation;
confocal imaging, immunofluorescence; dsRNA, siRNA, and morpholino delivery for RNAi
§ Mutant generation: transgenic shRNA-expressing Drosophila (>300 lines); S. cerevisiae library
carrying high-copy plasmids (>5000 strains); CRISPR Drosophila cell lines
§ Mass spectrometry sample prep and operation: isobaric TMT labeling and label-free;
titanium dioxide and IMAC-based phosphopeptide enrichment; strong cation exchange and
reverse phase chromatography; Thermo Orbitrap, Q-Exactive, and Fusion instrument familiarity
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School (July 2009 - current)
Principal Investigator: Dr. Norbert Perrimon
§ Mapping phosphorylation-dependent signaling pathways in Drosophila melanogaster embryos.
Used state-of-the-art quantitative phosphoproteomic approach (i.e. multiplexed isobaric TMT
labeling with high res mass spectrometry) to identify kinase targets in early stage Drosophila
embryos depleted of single kinases using RNAi. Project involved generating transgenic animals
to express shRNAs (>600 lines) and validation of gene knockdown (>300). Candidate kinase
targets identified by mass spectrometry were validated by extensive direct assays including in
vitro kinase assays, protein-protein interaction analysis and functional characterization.
§ Examining blood cell survival pathway crosstalk in Drosophila. Investigated mechanisms
promoting the survival and proliferation of blood cells. Identified specific phospho-alterations
that enable receptor tyrosine kinases, specifically the insulin receptor and VEGFR/PDGFR, to
compensate for one another.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario Canada (Nov 2007-July 2009)
8 Colbourne Crescent, #3
Brookline, Massachusetts 02445
cell: 617-999-5887
lab: 617-432-6855
rsopko@genetics.med.harvard.edu

2. 2
Principal Investigator: Dr. Helen McNeill
§ Investigating post-translational mechanisms regulating Hippo pathway activity. Studied the role
of casein kinase in the phosphorylation and processing of the Hippo pathway receptor Fat to
modulate interaction with a pathway ligand and downstream pathway activity, including effects
on growth and apoptosis. Analyses were carried out in whole animals (Drosophila) and with
Drosophila and mammalian (HEK-293T) cells.
Doctorate of Philosophy, University of Toronto, Canada (Sept 2001-July 2007)
Ph.D. Advisor: Dr. Brenda Andrews, Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics
§ Exploration of gene function and identification of kinase targets by systematic analysis of gene
overexpression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae”. Generated a library to overexpress every gene
in the yeast genome in a mutant background for the purpose of functional genomics to identify
synthetic gene dosage relationships. Specifically, genetic screening in a kinase-comprised
background permitted the identification of kinase targets that were validated by direct in vitro
assays and functional characterization of phosphosite mutants.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Honors Biochemistry (September 1996-May 2000)
University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Grade Point Average: 8.1/9
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
§ Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Special Fellow Award (2012 – 2016)
§ Canadian Institutes for Health Research Fellowship (2009 – 2012)
§ Applying Genomics to Human Health Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute Postdoctoral
Fellowship (2008 - 2009)
§ L.W. MacPherson Microbiology Award (2007) awarded to “the best acclaimed all-round
registered Ph.D. student working in the broad area of Microbiology”
§ National Cancer Institute of Canada Terry Fox Foundation Research Studentship (2005-2007)
§ National Cancer Institute of Canada Student Travel Award (2005)
§ Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) PGSA Scholarship
(2001-2003), PGSB Scholarship (2003-05)
§ Roman Pakula Award (2002-2003) awarded to “best MSc candidate in department”
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (From full list of 21 publications on Pubmed)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Sopko%2C%20Richelle%5BAuthor%5D
1) R. Sopko and N. Perrimon. 2015. In press. Systematic methods to interrogate genetic perturbations
and map phosphorylation-dependent signaling. Encyclopedia of Cell Biology. (review)
2) R. Sopko, Y.B. Lin, K. Makhijani, B. Alexander, N. Perrimon, and K. Brückner. 2015. PLOS
Genetics. A systems-level interrogation identifies regulators of Drosophila blood cell lifespan. 2015
Mar 6;11(3):e1005056. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005056. eCollection 2015 Mar.

3. 3
3) R. Sopko, M. Foos, A. Vinayagam, B. Zhai, R. Binari, Y. Hu, S. Randklev, L.A. Perkins, S.P. Gygi,
and N. Perrimon. 2014. Combining genetic perturbations and proteomics to examine kinase-
phosphatase networks in Drosophila embryos. Developmental Cell. Oct 13;31(1):114-27.
4) Y. Hu*, R. Sopko*, M. Foos, C. Kelley, I. Flockhart, N. Ammeux, X. Wang, L. Perkins, N. Perrimon,
and S.E. Mohr. 2013. FlyPrimerBank: An Online Database for Drosophila melanogaster Gene
Expression Analysis and Knockdown Evaluation of RNAi Reagents. G3 (Bethesda). Jul 26. doi:pii:
g3.113.007021v1.
*co-authors
5) R. Sopko and N. Perrimon. Receptor tyrosine kinases in Drosophila development. Cold Spring Harb
Perspect Biol. 2013 Jun 1;5(6). doi:pii: a009050. (review)
6) R. Sopko, L. Clayton, L. Gardano, S. Saburi, J. Wrana, S. Shaw, H. Matakatsu, E. Silva, S. Blair, M.
Barrios-Rodiles, and H. McNeill. The tumour suppressor Discs overgrown/Casein kinase I epsilon
regulates cell proliferation and planar polarity by binding and phosphorylation of the atypical
cadherin Fat. 2009. Current Biology. Jul 14;19(13):1112-7.
7) R. Sopko and B. Andrews. Linking the kinome and phosphorylome – a comprehensive review of
approaches to find kinase targets. 2008. Molecular Biosystems. Sep;4(9):920-33. (review)
8) R. Sopko, D. Huang, J. Smith, D. Figeys, and B. Andrews. The activation of Cdc42 at bud
emergence involves the phosphorylation of the GTPase-activating protein Rga2 by G1-phase
specific CDK complexes. 2007. EMBO J. Oct 31;26(21):4487-500.
9) R.Sopko, B. Papp, S. Oliver, B. Andrews. Phenotypic activation to discover biological pathways and
kinase substrates. 2006. Cell Cycle. July 1; 5 (13). (review)
10) R. Sopko, D. Huang, N. Preston, G. Chua, B. Papp, K. Kafadar, M. Snyder, S. Oliver, M. Cyert, T.
Hughes, C. Boone, and B. Andrews. Mapping pathways and phenotypes by systematic gene
overexpression. 2006. Molecular Cell. Feb 3;21 (3): 319-330.
11) R. Sopko, S. Raithatha, D. Stuart. Phosphorylation and Maximal Activity of Saccharomyces
cerevisiae Meiosis-Specific Transcriptional Factor Ndt80 Is Dependent on Ime2. 2002. Molecular
and Cellular Biology, Oct;22(20):7024-40.
TEACHING AND TRAINING EXPERIENCE
§ Trained and supervised two rotation students (2002 and 2003), two summer students (2002,
2008), one undergraduate (2009-2010), and one full-time technician (2011-2014)
REFERENCES
Dr. Norbert Perrimon Dr. Helen McNeill
perrimon@receptor.med.harvard.edu mcneill@mshri.on.ca
Dr. Steve Gygi Dr. Brenda Andrews
steven_gygi@hms.harvard.edu brenda.andrews@utoronto.ca