Connor Kunihiro is an immunologist with a passion for understanding how chronic conditions and long-term drug treatments shape immune responses to viral infections and vaccines. With a B.A. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from UC Santa Cruz and an M.S. in Viral Immunology from Cal Poly Pomona, Kunihiro brings both a foundational and applied approach to translational immunology.
His master's thesis explored how obesity and diabetes alter the immune system’s ability to respond to influenza infection and vaccination. This work sparked a broader interest in how comorbidities affect vaccine efficacy—questions he now investigates using cutting-edge tools like spatial and single-cell RNA sequencing. Over the past few years, Kunihiro has refined these techniques to study the immune landscape at high resolution, building a skillset that bridges systems biology with clinical relevance.
Kunihiro was drawn to St. Jude for its renowned expertise in infectious diseases and immunology, but what ultimately inspired his decision was the palpable pride and purpose expressed by the faculty, staff, and students during his visit. He is excited to be part of a mission-driven institution where research is not only rigorous, but also deeply connected to improving lives—especially those of children facing life-threatening illnesses.
Education:
2020 - MS, Viral Immunology – Cal Poly Pomona
2017 - BA, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – UC Santa Cruz
Awards/Honors/Scholarships:
2020 - Projects Hatchery Fellowship – Cal Poly Pomona
2019 - Jia-Hsi Wu Scholarship – Cal Poly Pomona Department of Biology