Christopher Barnes named HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar

Christopher Barnes, assistant professor of biology in the School of Humanities and Sciences and institute scholar of Sarafan ChEM-H, was one of 30 early career scholars who have been named 2025 Freeman Hrabowski Scholars by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). The program recognizes early career scientific scholars with strong potential to become leaders in their fields and to create lab environments in which everyone can thrive. 

“I am delighted and proud of Christopher for this prestigious recognition,” said Carolyn Bertozzi, the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences and the Baker Family Director of Sarafan ChEM-H. “Christopher is a world class structural biologist and biochemist whose work has revolutionized our understanding of antiviral design and therapeutics. He is a vital contributor to the Sarafan ChEM-H community and to Stanford at large.”

Barnes and the rest of this year’s Freeman Hrabowski Scholars will be appointed to a five-year, renewable term to support their research programs. They also receive access to professional development opportunities to advance their leadership and mentoring skills. For Barnes, this will power his lab’s work in using cutting-edge technologies like cryogenic electron microscopy, or cryoEM, to develop new vaccines and therapies for infectious diseases.

“Christopher is an amazing scholar, educator and mentor,” said Martha Cyert, the Dr. Nancy Chang Professor, professor of biology and chair of the Department of Biology. “He is a rising star and a leader in the cryoEM and immunology communities. I am excited to see him grow his research program and continue his impactful work advancing inclusion in biology.”

Barnes works to understand how our body’s immune system responds to viruses, and uses that knowledge to design better vaccines and medicines. The surfaces of viruses and other invaders are decorated with molecular bits called antigens. In response to a pathogen, immune cells in our bodies produce antibodies, “Y”-shaped proteins that specifically recognize certain antigens and then trigger the body to respond. Vaccines often mimic antigens, tricking the body into learning how to make proper antibodies so it can respond immediately when a real invader comes knocking, and medicines based on naturally occurring antibodies can help people who are already infected more quickly fight off a virus.

Barnes leverages cryoEM, which involves flash-freezing molecules and looking at them under a high-power microscope to get a super detailed picture of where each atom is located, to design new vaccines and therapeutics for HIV, SARS-CoV-2, and other viruses. 

“In this time when science funding—especially in support of antiviral and vaccine work—is under attack, I am especially grateful for this support from HHMI,” said Barnes. “The work my lab and others are doing to mitigate the threat of emerging diseases will be critical in preventing future pandemics.”

Beyond his scholarship, Barnes is also being recognized for his excellence as a mentor. The HHMI award is named in honor of Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, the longtime president of the University of Maryland Baltimore County and celebrated leader and mentor. 

“I am most proud of this award because it recognizes mentorship and the culture that I have intentionally built within my group,” said Barnes. “This award is not a reflection of me, but a reflection of the incredible members of my lab.”

Barnes is also an assistant professor (by courtesy) of structural biology and a member of Bio-X. Cyert is a member Bio-X and the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, and is a faculty fellow of Sarafan ChEM-H. Bertozzi is a professor of chemistry, a professor (by courtesy) of chemical and systems biology, and a member of Bio-X, the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, the Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI), the Stanford Cancer Institute, and the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. She is also an HHMI Investigator.