Christian Metallo

Christian Metallo, PhD, is a Professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, where he leads the Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory. His research focuses on understanding how metabolic pathways drive diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders. Metallo employs cutting-edge techniques like stable isotope tracing and mass spectrometry to map metabolic networks and identify therapeutic targets.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania
• Master of Science and PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biological Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Research Interests: Metallo’s work investigates how cellular metabolism influences disease progression. Key areas include the role of serine/glycine metabolism in tumors, the metabolic defects linked to macular telangiectasia type 2, and lipid metabolism in obesity and fatty liver disease. His lab also develops tools like Escher-Trace to visualize metabolic flux.

Publications: Over 100 peer-reviewed articles, including high-impact studies on metabolic reprogramming in cancer, drug development targeting metabolic vulnerabilities, and the interplay between immunity and metabolism. Recent work highlights metabolic dependencies in pancreatic cancer and the role of itaconate in immune responses.

Awards: Recipient of prestigious awards including the Mark Foundation Endeavor Award (2022), AIMBE Fellowship (2021), and Camille & Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (2018). His research is funded by grants from the NIH, NSF, and industry partners.

Labs & Teams: The Metallo Lab includes postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research scientists from diverse backgrounds in engineering, biochemistry, and immunology. Collaborations span academia and industry, focusing on translational applications of metabolic insights. The lab’s Escher-Trace software is widely used for metabolic pathway visualization.