Kai G. Zinn

Kai G. Zinn is the Howard and Gwen Laurie Smits Professor of Biology at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where he has been faculty since 1989. His research focuses on cell surface proteins and their roles in neural development and connectivity, with particular emphasis on Drosophila (fruit fly) nervous system and human cell surface protein interactions.

Dr. Zinn earned his B.A. from the University of California, San Diego in 1977 and his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1983. He progressed through the ranks at Caltech from Assistant Professor (1989-95) to Associate Professor (1995-99), Professor (1999-2017), and finally to the Smits Professorship (2017-present).

His research program has two major thrusts: the global human interactome screen and determination of synaptic connectivity patterns by cell surface proteins in Drosophila. For the human interactome, his lab developed novel methods like BPIA and nanoparticle-based assays to map interactions among thousands of cell surface proteins. This work was funded by an NIH Transformative Research Grant in 2022. In Drosophila research, his lab discovered major protein interaction networks (Dpr-ome and Beat-Side) that control synaptic connectivity and cell survival.

Dr. Zinn's research has resulted in numerous publications in top journals including Science Advances, Cell Reports, and eLife. His work bridges basic science with potential translational applications, particularly in understanding neural circuit formation and immune system cell interactions.

• Major Research Areas: Cell Surface Protein Interactions, Neural Circuit Wiring, Drosophila Genetics, Interactome Mapping
• Key Techniques: ECIA, BPIA, Nanoparticle-based screening, CRISPRa, Single-cell RNA sequencing
• Collaborations: Garcia group at Stanford, Thomson group at Caltech, Protein Expression Center, Single-Cell Profiling and Engineering Center

Dr. Zinn's lab continues to push the boundaries of understanding how cell surface proteins guide neural development and function, with implications for both basic neuroscience and potential therapeutic applications.