M. Christine Zink
Encyclopedia
M. Christine "Chris" Zink DVM, PhD, ACVP, is the director of the Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
. She also holds professorships in the Department of Pathology at Johns Hopkins and in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
. Zink researches the response of the immune system
to retrovirus
es such as HIV
and is currently investigating an animal model of antiretroviral therapy
and the potential of a common antibiotic to prevent HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders.
As a veterinarian, Zink is known for consulting and writing on canine athletics and is an expert on stem cell
therapies for dogs. She was named Outstanding Woman Veterinarian of the Year at the 2009 meeting of the American Veterinary Medical Association
(AVMA). Her books include Peak Performance: Coaching the Canine Athlete, Dog Health and Nutrition for Dummies, The Agility Advantage, and Jumping from A to Z: Teach Your Dog to Soar and Building the Canine Athlete: Strength, Stretching, Endurance and Body Awareness Exercises. Zink is a Toronto
-born Canadian and has won several awards for her photography.
, where she also received a PhD in macrophage
biology. From 1985-88, Zink completed a postdoctoral research fellowship with Opendra "Bill" Narayan
at Johns Hopkins University
, studying animal models of HIV pathogenesis.
In 2007, Zink became the director of the Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology at Johns Hopkins. She follows long-time colleague Janice E. Clements
, who had raised the comparative medicine division to department status.
Zink's scientific research has focused on the effects of HIV and related lentivirus
es on the central nervous system
.
in Seattle in 2009.
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine , located in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., is the academic medical teaching and research arm of Johns Hopkins University. Hopkins has consistently been the nation's number one medical school in the amount of competitive research grants awarded by the National...
. She also holds professorships in the Department of Pathology at Johns Hopkins and in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is part of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
. Zink researches the response of the immune system
Immune system
An immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
to retrovirus
Retrovirus
A retrovirus is an RNA virus that is duplicated in a host cell using the reverse transcriptase enzyme to produce DNA from its RNA genome. The DNA is then incorporated into the host's genome by an integrase enzyme. The virus thereafter replicates as part of the host cell's DNA...
es such as HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
and is currently investigating an animal model of antiretroviral therapy
Antiretroviral drug
Antiretroviral drugs are medications for the treatment of infection by retroviruses, primarily HIV. When several such drugs, typically three or four, are taken in combination, the approach is known as Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, or HAART...
and the potential of a common antibiotic to prevent HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders.
As a veterinarian, Zink is known for consulting and writing on canine athletics and is an expert on stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
therapies for dogs. She was named Outstanding Woman Veterinarian of the Year at the 2009 meeting of the American Veterinary Medical Association
American Veterinary Medical Association
The American Veterinary Medical Association , founded in 1863, is a not-for-profit association representing more than 81,500 U.S. veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia, and uniformed services....
(AVMA). Her books include Peak Performance: Coaching the Canine Athlete, Dog Health and Nutrition for Dummies, The Agility Advantage, and Jumping from A to Z: Teach Your Dog to Soar and Building the Canine Athlete: Strength, Stretching, Endurance and Body Awareness Exercises. Zink is a Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
-born Canadian and has won several awards for her photography.
Education and training
Chris Zink earned a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degree from the University of GuelphUniversity of Guelph
The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
, where she also received a PhD in macrophage
Macrophage
Macrophages are cells produced by the differentiation of monocytes in tissues. Human macrophages are about in diameter. Monocytes and macrophages are phagocytes. Macrophages function in both non-specific defense as well as help initiate specific defense mechanisms of vertebrate animals...
biology. From 1985-88, Zink completed a postdoctoral research fellowship with Opendra "Bill" Narayan
Opendra Narayan
Opendra "Bill" Narayan was an AIDS researcher at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the University of Kansas Medical Center. A veterinarian, Narayan researched animal models of HIV...
at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, studying animal models of HIV pathogenesis.
Academic career
Following her postdoctoral work, Zink accepted an assistant professorship in the comparative medicine division at Johns Hopkins. She directed the division's postdoctoral training program from 1999. In 2000, Zink became a full professor.In 2007, Zink became the director of the Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology at Johns Hopkins. She follows long-time colleague Janice E. Clements
Janice E. Clements
Janice Ellen Clements is Vice Dean for Faculty at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Mary Wallace Stanton Professor of Faculty Affairs. She is a professor in the departments of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Neurology, and Pathology, and has a joint appointment in Molecular...
, who had raised the comparative medicine division to department status.
Zink's scientific research has focused on the effects of HIV and related lentivirus
Lentivirus
Lentivirus is a genus of slow viruses of the Retroviridae family, characterized by a long incubation period...
es on the central nervous system
Central nervous system
The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...
.
Honors
The Association for Women Veterinarians Foundation named Zink the Outstanding Woman Veterinarian of the Year in 2009. The honor was announced at the meeting of the American Veterinary Medical AssociationAmerican Veterinary Medical Association
The American Veterinary Medical Association , founded in 1863, is a not-for-profit association representing more than 81,500 U.S. veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia, and uniformed services....
in Seattle in 2009.