Snapshot: Research Associate Arryn Craney

Position: Research associate in the laboratory of Floyd Romesberg, Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), California campus

Research: Craney’s research in the Romesberg lab is focused on understanding and controlling the process of bacterial secretion—a promising antibacterial target that has the potential to be exploited clinically. Finding new drugs to combat bacterial infections, especially drugs that act via novel mechanisms, is crucial to combating the growing phenomenon of dangerous antibiotic resistance.

Background: Craney was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario Canada. She received her BSc with honors from the University of Waterloo. During this time, she also worked as a research technician at University of Toronto—a job that sparked her interest in scientific research. She went on to earn a PhD at McMaster University, studying chemical genetic methods to improve natural product production in the actinomycete bacteria and receiving an institutional award for outstanding dissertation.

Arrived at TSRI: October 2012

Awards: Craney currently holds a postdoctoral fellowship from the National Science and Engineering Council of Canada. She was recently awarded the Medal of Excellence (Reviews Category) from the Journal of Antibiotics for a review published in 2013.

Thoughts on TSRI: “I was excited for the opportunity to work at The Scripps Research Institute, as it has an excellent reputation for world-class research,” says Craney. She also appreciates TSRI’s location in a hub of academic and biotech research on the Torrey Pines mesa and the institute’s “great support of postdoctoral fellows through the Society of Fellows and Career and Postdoctoral Services, which all work together to enhance the postdoctoral experience.”

Professional and Volunteer Groups: Craney is the current president of the Society of Fellows (SoF) and the organization’s former chair of career development. She and the SoF board are focusing on expanding networking opportunities for postdocs and graduate students. Since moving to San Diego, Craney has also volunteered each summer in the San Diego PRIDE parade staging area.

Other Extracurricular Activities: Outside the lab, Craney likes to travel. Her far-flung destinations have included Spain, Bora Bora and the Caribbean.

Send comments to: press[at]scripps.edu