Based on limited published evidence, EMC9 is a subunit of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein complex (EMC) that mediates energy-independent insertion of newly synthesized membrane proteins into ER membranes 1. EMC9 preferentially accommodates proteins with weakly hydrophobic transmembrane domains or destabilizing features 1. It facilitates cotranslational insertion of multi-pass membrane proteins and post-translational insertion of tail-anchored proteins 2. EMC9 controls topology of G protein-coupled receptors by mediating N-exo insertion of N-terminal transmembrane domains 3. Recent evidence demonstrates EMC9 is critical for neural crest development and craniofacial structure formation, with mutations causing congenital malformations 4.