Christopher Hellen

Christopher Hellen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cell Biology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. His research focuses on eukaryotic translation initiation mechanisms and their exploitation by viral RNA elements, including internal ribosomal entry sites (IRESs).

• Primary affiliation: State University of New York Downstate Medical Center
• Key collaborators: Tatyana Pestova, Irina Lomakina, Victoria Kolupaeva

Research interests center on:

• Molecular characterization of viral IRESs (e.g., from EMCV, HCV, CrPV)
• Identification of trans-acting factors like ITAF45 and pyrimidine-tract binding protein
• Structural and biochemical analysis of ribosome interactions with viral RNA
• Development of chemotherapeutic targets against virus-specific translation mechanisms

Recent publications highlight work on unconventional translation initiation pathways, ribosome quality control mechanisms, and structural dynamics of IRES elements across diverse viral families. Collaborative efforts span institutions including Stanford University, The Rockefeller University, and Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.