ºÚÁÏÉç

Elias Georges

Elias Georges
Image by Alex Tran.

Associate Professor

T: 514-398-8137  | elias.georges [at] mcgill.ca (·¡³¾²¹¾±±ôÌý) |  Parasitology Building P-106 |

Degrees

BSc, PhD (ºÚÁÏÉç)

Short Bio

Elias Georges trained as a biochemist and protein/peptide chemist. Following his Ph.D. at the Dept. of Biochemistry/ºÚÁÏÉç working on the structure and function of intermediate filaments of the CNS (e.g., Neurofilaments), he spent six years as a Post-doc and research fellow at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre working on Multidrug resistance and P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) with Dr. Victor Ling. In 1991, he joined the Institute of Parasitology-ºÚÁÏÉç as an Assistant Professor to work on drug resistance in Malaria, while continuing with his work on ABC-mediated drug resistance in cancer cells. In 1997, he was promoted to an Associate professor at the Institute of parasitology. In 1998, he co-founded Aurelium BioPharma Inc. (ºÚÁÏÉç Spin-off biotechnology company focusing on the development of diagnostic tests and therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of breast and ovarian cancers). He is currently serving as the Canadian Pacific Chair in Biotechnology at ºÚÁÏÉç (2013 – 2019). He is the Associate Editor-in Chief of International Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. From 2003 to 2009, he served as the Program Director for the Biotechnology Graduate Program at ºÚÁÏÉç, and again holds the role of Director, Biotechnology Programs as of November 2021.

Awards and Recognitions

Young Investigator Award
CP Chair in Biotechnology

Research Interests

  • Drug resistance mechanisms in malaria and the role of the Plasmodium falciparum Chloroquine Resistance Transporter (or PfCRT), and PfMDR1 and PfABCG as mediator of drug resistance to anti-malarial drugs
  • Understanding the molecular mechanism of collateral sensitivity in drug resistant cancer cells to provide the first effective cancer treatment
  • Cellular pathway mapping and protein interactions using peptide scanning approach to identify and study protein-protein interactions of the human ABC transporters’ Interactome.

Courses

  • LSCI 211. Biochemistry 1.

    Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.

    Credits: 3
    Offered by: Parasitology (Faculty of Agric Environ Sci)
    Terms Offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026
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    Description

    Biochemistry of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids; enzymes and coenzymes. Introduction to intermediary metabolism.
    • Co-requisite: FDSC 230
    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken FDSC 211

    Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.

  • BIOT 505. Selected Topics in Biotechnology.

    Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.

    Credits: 3
    Offered by: Chemistry (Faculty of Science)
    This course is not offered this catalogue year.

    Description

    Current methods and recent advances in biological, medical, agricultural and engineering aspects of biotechnology will be described and discussed. An extensive reading list will complement the lecture material.
    • Fall
    • Restriction: U3 students

    Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.

  • BTEC 621. Biotechnology Management.

    Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.

    Credits: 3
    Offered by: Parasitology (Graduate Studies)
    Terms Offered: Fall 2025
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    Description

    Topics relevant to the management of research in industry are presented by experts working in industry. This course highlights the differences existing between research done in an academic environment and research done within industry.
    • one 3-hour lecture per week

    Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.

  • BTEC 622. Biotechnology Research Project 1.

    Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.

    Credits: 2
    Offered by: Parasitology (Graduate Studies)
    Terms Offered: Winter 2026
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    Description

    Research project proposal and literature review.
    • Prerequisite: BTEC 620.
    • Restriction: M.Sc.(Applied) in Biotechnology students and is a prerequisite to BTEC 623, BTEC 624 and BTEC 625.

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  • BTEC 623. Biotechnology Research Project 2.

    Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.

    Credits: 6
    Offered by: Parasitology (Graduate Studies)
    Terms Offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025
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    Description

    Intensive research project, lasting a minimum of 16 weeks in conjunction with course Biotechnology Research Project 3, conducted in a university hospital or industry laboratory involved in biotechnology research or development.
    • Restriction: M.Sc.(Applied) Biotechnology students
    • Corequisite: BTEC 622
    • Restriction: M.Sc.(Applied) Biotechnology students

    Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.

  • BTEC 624. Biotechnology Research Project 3.

    Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.

    Credits: 6
    Offered by: Parasitology (Graduate Studies)
    Terms Offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025
    View offerings for or in Visual Schedule Builder.

    Description

    Intensive research project, lasting a minimum of 16 weeks in conjunction with Biotechnology Research Project 2, conducted in a university hospital or industry laboratory involved in biotechnology research or development.
    • Prerequisite: BTEC 622.
    • Corequisite: BTEC 623.
    • Restriction: M.Sc.(Applied) Biotechnology students.

    Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.

  • BTEC 625. Biotechnology Research Project 4.

    Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.

    Credits: 2
    Offered by: Parasitology (Graduate Studies)
    Terms Offered: Fall 2025
    View offerings for in Visual Schedule Builder.

    Description

    Student will prepare a report on the research experience and give a presentation.
    • Prerequisite: BTEC 622.
    • Corequisites: BTEC 623, BTEC 624.
    • Restriction: M.Sc.(Applied) Biotechnology students.

    Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.

Publications

Selected Publications

(2017) Apigenin-induced ABCC1-mediated efflux of glutathione from mature erythrocytes inhibits the proliferation of Plasmodium falciparum. Int J Antimicrob Agents 50: 673-677.

(2017) Sequences in Linker-1 domain of the multidrug resistance associated protein (MRP1 or ABCC1) bind to tubulin and their binding is modulated by phosphorylation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 482: 1001-1006.

(2015) 3-Halo Chloroquine Derivatives Overcome Plasmodium falciparum Chloroquine Resistance Transporter-Mediated Drug Resistance in P. falciparum. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 59: 7891-3.

(2015) Characterization of native PfABCG protein in Plasmodium falciparum. Biochem Pharmacol 97: 137-46.

(2014) A 2-amino quinoline, 5-(3-(2-(7-chloroquinolin-2-yl)ethenyl)phenyl)-8-dimethylcarbamyl-4,6-dithiaoctan oic acid, interacts with PfMDR1 and inhibits its drug transport in Plasmodium falciparum. Mol Biochem Parasitol 195: 34-42.

(2012) Human ABCC1 interacts and colocalizes with ATP synthase alpha, revealed by interactive proteomics analysis. J Proteome Res 11: 1364-72.

(2011) Mutation of cysteine 21 inhibits nucleophosmin/B23 oligomerization and chaperone activity. Int J Biochem Mol Biol 2: 24-30.

(2011) RNAi-mediated knockdown of alpha-enolase increases the sensitivity of tumor cells to antitubulin chemotherapeutics. Int J Biochem Mol Biol 2: 303-8.

(2009) P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) modulates collateral sensitivity of a multidrug resistant cell line to verapamil. Arch Biochem Biophys 491: 53-60.

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