Christopher Pinney is a Ph.D. student in structural biology whose research interests center on understanding how membrane proteins and their interactors are structured and contribute to cellular processes. Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and complementary cell biology approaches, Pinney aims to investigate how membrane proteins and their interactors regulate molecular transport and trafficking pathways at cellular membranes.
Prior to graduate school, Pinney trained broadly in structural biology, immunology, and virology. As a postbaccalaureate research intern in Dr. Alex Miller’s lab at the University of Iowa, he resolved high-resolution cryo-EM structures of a viral protein in complex with its host interactor and under lysosome-mimetic acidic conditions, defining a previously unknown protein-protein interaction interface. Earlier experiences included isolating bacteriophages targeting antibiotic-resistant bacteria, participating in fieldwork on avian influenza surveillance, and assisting with SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring. He also applied CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to study immune cell exhaustion during a Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) internship.
Driven to explore the mechanisms by which proteins influence cellular processes, Pinney saw St. Jude as a place where discovery could directly inform disease understanding. With access to cutting-edge tools and a collaborative, multidisciplinary community, he endeavors to investigate fundamental biological questions, defining both the architecture and mechanistic intricacies of proteins in ways that can inform future therapeutic development.
Hometown: Milpitas, CA
Education:
2023 - BS, Microbiology – California State University, Chico
Awards/Honors/Scholarships:
2025 - American Society for Virology Student Travel Award
2023 - Student Award for Research & Creativity Grant – California State University, Chico
2023 - Tom Rodgers Outstanding Researcher Award – California State University, Chico