Christopher L. Pin
Professor
Post-Doctoral Fellowship – Purdue University, Indiana
PH.D. University of Western Ontario
B.Sc. University of Western Ontario
Office: Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre, Rm A4-913A
p. 519.685.8500 x. 53073
e. cpin@uwo.ca
Academic Journey
I completed my undergraduate in Genetics here at Western University. I then decided to pursue a Masters degree in Anatomy with Dr. Peter Merrifield but transferred to a PhD program since I enjoyed the work. After this, I moved to Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana to complete a postdoctoral fellowship. During this post-doc, I initially wanted to investigate the transcriptional regulation of muscle differentiation with Dr. Stephen Konieczny. The project I took on investigated a new protein that was original believed to be a repressor of myogenesis and aimed at determining its function. However, my research showed this protein, called MIST1, was never actually expressed during muscle differentiation or in adult muscle. Rather, it was highly expressed in the pancreas and deletion in mice disrupted the morphology and function of exocrine pancreatic tissue. I decided to “follow my nose” and established a research program on pancreas development and transcriptional regulation when I returned to Western in 2000. My laboratory has since identified several processes linked to pancreatic differentiation and established as pancreatic tissue develops that are repressed in pancreatic disease. This repression promotes a primitive phenotype that promotes cancer progression, as the effects observe decrease pancreatic differentiation and promote proliferation.
Why Science (or Why Research)?
It was during a third-year genetics course I took at Western with Dr. Burr Atkinson that I really became interested in science and, in particular, research. This class revolved around discussing different research articles in the field and this was the first time I was exposed to research literature. I enjoyed the aspects of figuring out different concepts and ideas in research. Furthermore, when I first started as a graduate student, I remember carrying out an experiment and getting some very cool results. In that moment, while I was looking down a microscope objective, I realized I was the only person in the world that knew this specific piece of information. It was that feeling that motivated me and continues to motivate me to this day.
Research/Teaching Goals
My laboratory is located in the cancer research laboratories in the Victoria Hospital. The most important goal I have has changed since I first established my laboratory. I now am keenly interested in figuring out ways to use our work to help someone battling cancer. If we can change the trajectory of one person’s life with cancer, and change their circumstances and elevate their quality of life, then I have achieved my main research goal. The approaches and different experiments we use in the lab are done to help those with pancreatic cancer and their treatment plans.
One interesting thing that I have been involved with over the last couple of years is developing a working group focused on organoid research. Organoids are “organs in a dish” and can also be used to understand patient-specific differences in tumour biology. I am part of a group that brings together all of the University research programs using organoids. We are currently planning a nation-wide conference on organoids that will take place next year at Western University.
Specific Research Interests
- We look at the function of acinar cells and the mechanisms that promote their differentiation and function. We work with Dr. Peter Stathopulos to investigate calcium and its regulation in acinar cells.
- One of our other research interests is to understand gene regulation processes that are in place. We want to determine how transcription is regulated at the gene and epigenetic level and how gene expression is changed over time, going from a normal pancreas to a diseased pancreas. We use inducible pancreatic cancer mouse models and organoid models from the mouse lines and cancer patients to understand how these processes proceed and that factors that may promote or impede progression.
- Our last interest revolves around our recently built organoid facility that functions as a translational-research program. We obtain tumour biopsies from patients and grow cancer cells as organoids as well as the surrounding, non-cancerous tissue that may be supportive of tumour progression. We try and determine how these two populations of cells interact and how different patients may respond to certain pharmaceuticals. The goal of this facility is to establish a process to determine therapies that are best for each patient.
Undergraduate Teaching:
3140 – Cellular Physiology (Instructor)
4440 - Animal and Cell Modelling of Development and Disease (Course Coordinator)
3000 – Physiology and Pharmacology Lab (Instructor)
4980 – Seminar and Research Project (Supervisor)
Graduate Teaching:
9551 – Communications and Critical Thinking (Course Coordinator)
9550 – Molecular Techniques (Instructor)
Most Rewarding Moments
My most rewarding moments have been training and seeing the people I train in my laboratory succeed and go on to do great things. I have directly trained over 100 people including undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral fellows and I take great pride in seeing the many different careers they have taken on.
Advice to Students
Be a lifelong learner, always be open to learning and experiencing new things. It will keep you fresh over your life by being open to new experiences and collaboration no matter what profession you end up in.
Interests Outside of Academia
I love playing golf, baseball and travelling. I enjoy doing things that get me out of the office and staying active!
Awards and Recognitions:
Department of Oncology Excellence in Teaching and Research Award, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. University of Western Ontario (2024)
Dean’s Award of Excellence, Senior Researcher, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. University of Western Ontario (2022)
Joseph P. Gilbert Award for Outstanding Research Contribution in Lawson Health Research Institute (2011)
Canadian Institutes of Health Research New Investigator Scholarship (2005-2010)
Highlighted Publications:
- Jaune-Pons, E.*, Wang, X.*, Mousavi, F.*, Elkaoutari, A., Berger, K.*, Johnson, C.L.*, Martin, M.B.*, Aggarwal, S.* Brar, S.* Muhammad, K*, Ryan, J*, Shooshtari, P., Mathison, A.J., Dusetti, N., Urrutia, R., Lomberk, G., and Pin, C.L. (2024). EZH2 deletion does not impact acinar cell regeneration but restricts progression to pancreatic cancer in a context-dependent fashion. Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight.
- Mousavi, F.*, Thompson, J., Lau, J.*, Renollet, N., Martin, M.B.*, McGue, J., Hassan, O.*, Frankel, T., Shooshtari, P., Pin, C.L.#, Bednar, F.# (2024). Choice of cre recombinase affects the phenotype of murine pancreatic cancer models. Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
- Azizi, N.*, Toma, J.*, Martin, M.*, Muhommad, K.*, Borrello, M.T.*, Mousavi, F.*, Win, P.W.*, Steele, N., Shi, J., Pasca di Magliano, M., and Pin, C.L. (2021) Loss of Activating Transcription Factor 3 prevents KRAS-mediated pancreatic cancer. 40(17):3118-3135.
- Fenech, A., Carter, M.M., Stathopulos, P.B., and Pin, C.L. (2020) The pancreas-specific form of Secretory Pathway Calcium ATPase 2 regulates multiple pathways involved in calcium homeostasis. BBA-Molecular Cell Research. 1867(1):118567.
- Young, C.C.*, Baker, R.M.*, Howlett, C., Hryciw, T., Herman, J.E., Higgs, D., Gibbons, R., Crawford, H., Brown, A and Pin, C.L. (2018) The loss of ATRX increases susceptibility to pancreatic injury and oncogenic KRAS in female but not male mice. Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 7(1):93-113.
- Johnson C.L.*, Weston J.Y.*, Chadi S.A.*, Fazio E.N.*, Huff M.W., Kharitonenkov A., Köester A., Pin C.L. (2009) Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 reduces the severity of caerulein-induced pancreatitis in mice. Gastroenterology 137(5):1795-804.
- Pin, C.L., Rukstalis, J.M., Johnson, C.L. and Konieczny, S.F. (2001) Mice lacking the bHLH transcription factor Mist1 represent a genetic model for pancreatic injury. The Journal of Cell Biology. 155: 519-530.
See Publications by Christopher Pin on PubMed
