Sunnie M. Yoh

Sunnie M. Yoh, PhD, is a Research Professor and Institute Investigator in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at The Scripps Research Institute. Her research focuses on molecular mechanisms of innate immunity, particularly in autoimmunity, cancer, viral infections, and neurodegenerative diseases. She investigates amyloidosis-driven neuroinflammation and develops small molecule therapies targeting innate immune pathways.

Education:

• PhD in Immunology, University of California, Davis
• BA in Molecular Biology, University of California, Berkeley

Research Interests: Dr. Yoh’s work integrates systems biology and mechanistic approaches to study innate immune surveillance in amyloidosis, HIV, and SARS-CoV-2. She explores feedback loops between amyloid deposition and neuroinflammation, and develops antiviral therapeutics and vaccine adjuvants.

Awards:

• 2021 CHRP Basic Biomedical Pilot Award
• 2019 Rising Star Award for Emerging HIV Investigators
• 2015 Young Investigator Award (CROI)

Grants & Collaborations: Her research is supported by the Gates Foundation, DoD, and NIH contracts. She collaborates with Calibr (Scripps’ translational arm) on drug discovery for antivirals and immunotherapies.

Labs & Teams: She contributes to the Chanda Lab, focusing on virus-host interactions and innate immunity. The lab also drives drug discovery via partnerships with biotech/pharma for antivirals and inflammatory disease therapies.