Jim Kronstad

Dr. Jim Kronstad is a Professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC), affiliated with the Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. He holds academic appointments in fungal biology, specializing in pathogenesis, morphogenesis, and host-pathogen interactions. His research focuses on fungal pathogens such as Cryptococcus neoformans and Ustilago maydis, addressing mechanisms of virulence, nutrient sensing, and antifungal therapies.

Education: Ph.D. (1984) from the University of Washington.

Research Interests:

• Fungal pathogenesis and virulence factors
• cAMP signaling pathways and iron homeostasis
• Plant-fungal interactions (e.g., Ustilago maydis on maize)
• Development of antifungal drugs and vaccines
• Genomic and proteomic analysis of fungal pathogens

Funding: Supported by NSERC, CIHR, NIH, and CIFAR. Collaborations include the Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre and international partners such as Georg-August-University Göttingen.

Awards: CIFAR Fellow (2019), Power Corporation Fellow (2023), Burroughs Wellcome Fund Scholar Award, and Killam Teaching Award (2019).

Labs/Teams: Director of the Michael Smith Laboratories (2008-2017) and leader of the PRoTECT international training program (NSERC/DFG-funded).