معرفی
Christopher D. Lima is a Professor and Chair of the Structural Biology Program at the Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and an Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He holds academic appointments at Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences and is affiliated with the Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology. His research focuses on structural and biochemical mechanisms of ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like protein pathways and RNA quality control.
- PhD, Northwestern University
- Postdoctoral Training, Columbia University (Helen Hay Whitney Fellow)
Dr. Lima’s research investigates the structural basis of post-translational modifications, particularly ubiquitination and SUMOylation, and RNA processing pathways. His lab combines cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography, and biochemistry to study enzyme mechanisms in ubiquitin activation and RNA exosome function. His work has elucidated key intermediates in E1 enzyme catalysis and the architecture of RNA surveillance complexes. These insights are fundamental to understanding cellular quality control and have implications for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
His recent publications, including high-impact studies in Nature and Cell, reflect a consistent focus on macromolecular structure-function relationships in ubiquitin signaling and RNA metabolism. Trends in his publications show a deepening exploration of enzyme dynamics, conformational changes, and the development of chemical tools to probe these pathways.
- National Academy of Sciences (2020)
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2017)
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator (2013)
- Rita Allen Scholar (2003–2006)
- Beckman Young Investigator (1999–2002)
Dr. Lima has advised numerous PhD students and postdoctoral fellows and has received continuous funding from the NIH and HHMI. His lab is actively involved in training and mentoring within the Tri-Institutional programs. He leads a multidisciplinary research team focused on structural mechanisms in cellular regulation and is engaged in collaborative and translational research, with disclosed interests in biotechnology companies such as Biogen and Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
He is a member of the Structural Biology Program at SKI and leads a vibrant research laboratory that bridges basic science and disease mechanisms. His lab fosters innovation in structural biology and continues to make foundational contributions to the understanding of protein and RNA quality control pathways.
