Dr. Che Colpitts was born and raised in Saskatchewan. She obtained BSc and MSc degrees in biochemistry at the University of Regina, where she became fascinated by viruses and how viruses hijack host cells. Dr. Colpitts obtained her PhD in virology from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, where she trained with Dr. Luis Schang and characterized the mechanisms of novel broad-spectrum antivirals targeting the entry of unrelated viruses. She then moved to the lab of Dr. Thomas Baumert at the University of Strasbourg (France) to focus on hepatitis B and C virus entry and to identify novel antiviral strategies targeting entry of these viruses. Most recently, she has been working with Dr. Greg Towers at University College London (UK) to understand how hepatitis C virus uses a host protein, cyclophilin A, to evade intrinsic cellular antiviral responses. Dr. Colpitts is now an Associate Professor of molecular virology in the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences at Queen’s University in Kingston.

Carla completed an Honours BSc in Biology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. She has been interested in viruses since high school, and pursued that interest through her academic life. She completed her MSc at the Center of Research and Advanced Studies (CINVESTAV) under the supervision of Dr. Rosa María del Ángel, studying the viral content in exosomes derived from dengue virus infected cells. Carla is now investigating the relegation of PKR and stress granule formation in the context of hepatitis C virus and coronavirus infection. She likes travelling to new places, and swimming.
Carla was a recipient of a Mitacs Globalink Graduate Fellowship. She is currently supported by a PhD studentship from the Canadian Network on Hepatitis C.

Isabella completed an Honours BSc at McMaster University. Throughout her undergrad she was passionate about viral immunology and infectious disease, and particularly intrigued by mechanisms of viral immune evasion. She is currently working in the Colpitts lab to characterize how intracellular antiviral mechanisms target viral replication organelles to inhibit the transcription and replication of positive-sense RNA viruses.

Debanjana completed her integrated five-year BS–MS degree at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, India. Her Master’s thesis investigated how human β-coronavirus OC43 infection alters the expression of tight junction proteins, sparking her interest in coronavirus-host interactions. Her PhD research focuses on characterizing thapsigargin-based prodrugs as coronavirus antivirals and aims to define how thapsigargin and its analogues inhibit coronavirus replication. Her work combines antiviral screening, mechanistic virology, and ER-stress/host-response pathways to develop a more targeted therapeutic approach.
Debanjana is currently supported by Bruce Mitchell PhD funding.

Trinity completed her Honours BSc in Microbiology and Immunology at Dalhousie University. She quickly became interested in microbiology during her first-year research project focused on antibiotic discovery. Trinity was eager to expand her interest in microbiology to better understand virus-host interactions. Working under the supervision of Dr. Craig McCormick, Trinity’s research focused on developing a reverse genetics system for HCoV-OC43 in yeast. Her honours thesis aimed to characterize a relationship between a host post-translational modification and coronavirus infection. Trinity’s passion for fundamental virology and virus-host immunologic interactions led her to join the Colpitts lab for graduate studies! Currently, she is investigating how viruses in the Flaviviridae family, including hepatitis C and dengue virus, are able to modulate ER stress responses.
Trinity has been supported by the Canadian Network on Hepatitis C (MSc studentship), NSERC CGS-M (2024-2025), and a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (2025-2028).

Abbey is currently completing her Honours BSc in the Life Sciences Specialization program at Queen’s University. Following summer research in the Colpitts lab, she is continuing her research through a MICR 499 project in the fall. She has developed a strong interest in virology throughout her time at Queen’s, which inspired her to pursue research in the field. Her current project focuses on developing VSV-based surrogate BSL2 systems to study the entry mechanisms and virus-host interactions of both seasonal (H1N1) and avian (H5N1) influenza A viruses. Outside of the lab, she enjoys discovering new music and spending time outdoors

Eden is currently completing her Honours BSc in Life Sciences, specializing in biomedical sciences at Queen’s University. Throughout her time at Queen’s, she has developed a strong interest in microbiology and immunology, which inspired her to pursue a MICR 499 project, examining how dengue virus infection regulates macrophage polarization.

Lindsay is currently in her 4th year of the Life Sciences Major program. She is completing a LISC 595 project with an interest in molecular biology and virology. Her favourite Queen’s courses, BCHM 218 and MICR 221, sparked her interest in these fields. Her project is exploring the pathways and mechanisms in which cell stress may enhance the interferon response while viral proteins may antagonize it. Outside the lab, Lindsay enjoys cooking, baking, and hanging out with her friends.

Veronica is currently in her fourth year of an Honours BSc in Life Sciences, specializing in Biomedical Sciences at Queen’s University. Throughout her undergraduate studies, she developed a strong interest in microbiology, particularly after taking courses such as MICR 290 and MICR 386. This interest led her to pursue a MICR 499 research project, allowing her to apply theoretical knowledge through hands-on laboratory experience. Her current research focuses on examining the differential responsiveness of bat and human TLR4 to viral glycoproteins and lipopolysaccharides. Outside of the lab, Veronica enjoys painting, spending time with loved ones, and staying active outdoors whenever possible.