Connor Kunihiro is interested in understanding how chronic conditions and long-term drug treatments influence immune responses to viruses and vaccines. His master’s research investigated influenza infection and vaccination in the context of obesity and diabetes, and completing his thesis in the early months of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic emphasized to him the relevance and urgency of research in this field. His curiosity about alternatives to traditional academic research led him to enter the biotech industry. After developing bulk DNA and RNA sequencing assays at Zymo Research, he joined 10x Genomics where he advanced single cell and spatial RNA sequencing capabilites at 10x Genomics. He intends to apply his experience with advanced genomic tools toward pressing questions at the interface of viruses and the immune system.
Connor was initially drawn to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for its expertise in infectious disease and immunology research. His decision to join the Biomedical Sciences PhD program was driven by the pride with which students, faculty, and staff spoke of their experiences at St. Jude. He too is proud to be a part of St. Jude's mission and he is excited to carry out research that will contribute to tangible clinical outcomes for childhood 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