Christina Cargill earned her Ph.D. in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology from the University of Pittsburgh in 2021, where she trained as an immunologist under Dr. Jon Piganelli. Her doctoral research focused on understanding how cellular metabolism, particularly glycolysis, regulates the function and pathogenicity of autoreactive T cells that target pancreatic β cells in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). This work identified metabolic targets for controlling pathogenic T cell responses and led to the development and validation of a novel therapeutic strategy for preventing T1D in mouse models. She continued her research in T1D as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Surgery at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where she conducted independent research investigating combinatorial strategies for reversing established disease and identifying translational biomarkers to help identify patients at risk.

In 2022, Christina transitioned into research leadership roles in the biotechnology industry, joining Qrono Inc. as Head of Research and later serving as Scientific Director. There, she led the development of oral, antigen presenting cell (APC)-targeted nanoparticle immunotherapies for autoimmune diseases. As Principal Investigator on three NIH-funded SBIR/STTR awards, she secured more than $1.5 million in non-dilutive funding to advance immunotherapy programs from early discovery through preclinical development. Her work included a Phase I SBIR contract with NIAID focused on tolerogenic adjuvant discovery for celiac disease, as well as two Phase I STTR awards developing APC-targeted therapies for T1D (NIAID) and inflammatory bowel disease (NIDDK). She also established strategic collaborations with academic investigators and external partners to expand research capabilities and served as a reviewer for multiple NIH study sections, evaluating early-stage biomedical proposals for scientific rigor, feasibility, and translational potential.

Christina joins the Rice Synthetic Biology Institute (RSBI) as Director of Research, where she will work collaboratively with faculty and research leadership to advance the Institute’s research mission. In this role, she will work to identify new funding opportunities, build multidisciplinary research teams and collaborations, develop competitive proposals, and support the management of complex research programs. She will also contribute to initiatives that support RSBI’s continued growth and long-term research goals. Christina is driven by the opportunity to translate bold scientific ideas into meaningful, real-world impact, and she is excited to bring that passion for transformative science to the talented research team at RSBI.

Education

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Surgery, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (2021–2022)
• Ph.D., Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh (2021)
• B.S., Forensic Science: Biology, University of New Haven (2015)
• B.S., Biology, University of New Haven (2015)

Google Scholar: Christina Cargill on Google Scholar