Che Colpitts

Dr. Che Colpitts is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences at Queen's University, affiliated with the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Translational Institute of Medicine (TIME). She holds a PhD in Virology from the University of Alberta (2014), and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Strasbourg and University College London. Her research focuses on understanding how positive-sense RNA viruses, including hepatitis C virus (HCV), dengue virus, and coronaviruses, manipulate host cell biology to replicate and evade immune responses.

Key research areas include: (1) roles of cyclophilin A in HCV immune evasion, (2) membrane rearrangements during viral replication, (3) TLR4 activation by viral glycoproteins, and (4) antiviral strategies targeting viral entry mechanisms. Current teaching includes MICR 451/BMED 851. The Colpitts Lab actively collaborates on projects involving ER stress responses, glycobiology, and broad-spectrum antiviral development.

Notable recent publications explore SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, cyclophilin-mediated viral cloaking, and pan-coronavirus inhibitors. Her work bridges basic virology with translational medicine, aiming to identify novel antiviral approaches against emerging and untreatable viral threats.