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 retroviruses 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.
Chris Zink earned a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degree from the University of Guelph, 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.
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, who had raised the comparative medicine division to department status.
Zink's scientific research has focused on the effects of HIV and related lentiviruses on the central nervous system (CNS). She has led or contributed to work on:
a simian immunodeficiency virus model of HIV encephalitis
an animal model of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)
the neuroprotective effects of minocycline in the context of retroviral infection
the role of brain endothelial cells in retrovirus CNS disease
peripheral nervous system effects of retroviruses
Borna disease virus, visna virus, and caprine arthritis encephalitis virus.
In canine athletics, Zink is a consultant, coach, writer, and illustrator.
Coaching
Zink has coached canine athletes to win over 70 competition titles. These awards were won by dogs of different breeds competing in diverse events including tracking, obedience, and agility.
Books
Zink has written or illustrated several books on canine athletics, including:
Peak Performance: Coaching the Canine Athlete (1992 and 1997; German translation in 2005; with Marcia R. Schlehr)
Jumping from A to Z: Teach Your Dog to Soar (1996; with J. Daniels)
Dog Health and Nutrition for Dummies (2001; German and Italian translations, 2006)
Building the Canine Athlete: Strength, Stretching, Endurance and Body Awareness Exercises (2007; with Laurie McCauley)
The Agility Advantage: Health and Fitness for the Canine Athlete (2008; received the President's Award from the Dog Writer’s Association of America (2008) and the Eukanuba Canine Health Award)
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 Association in Seattle in 2009.
Chris Zink enjoys photographing wildlife and other subjects in nature and has won several awards for her work. These include a first place award in the National Arts Program, a second place award in the Shell Canada Photo Contest, and Best Color Photo from VA Photo Safaris. Zink's photographs are on display in several buildings on the Johns Hopkins University medical campus.