From West Georgia to Genentech: UWG Alumnus Featured in Scientific Journal Share this page
In fall 2009, University of West Georgia alum Dr. Chris Crittenden entered his first semester of college with a sincere passion for one thing: mass spectrometry. From that moment on, he had no idea that would later change the trajectory of his life. Today, Crittenden is the principal scientist at Genentech, one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies.
Crittenden was previously featured in the Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, which goes further into detail about his background. He traces his passion for mass spectrometry back to one professor who believed in him – Dr. Farooq Khan, his first chemistry professor at UWG. Khan invited Crittenden into the lab to help restore an old Thermo Finnigan LCQ instrument alongside two fellow undergraduate students. The trio was able to get the instrument back to a functional state. This gave them the opportunity to conduct early experiments, which led to a peer-reviewed publication on the binding of anions to the cyclic peptide valinomycin.
“I credit Dr. Farooq Khan with my introduction to mass spectrometry and for instilling in me a passion for chasing the unexpected,” Crittenden said.
That passion carried him through a Ph.D. program at the University of Texas, before landing the life-changing job at Genentech’s Structural Elucidation Group in the Bay Area. There, he performs advanced mass spectrometry techniques to verify and identify the molecular structures of potential drug candidates. Some of these molecules have never existed before.
Crittenden’s day-to-day tasks are what keeps him motivated in everything that he does.
“Being a cog in the massive machine of pharmaceutical development and knowing that the work I do daily aims to improve human health are very rewarding aspects of the role,” he shared.
His impact at Genentech has extended beyond the lab bench. He co-founded a mass spectrometry working group with colleague Bifan Chen. The space was created as a way for colleagues to collaborate, learn and push the boundaries of what the technique can do. He also helped launch a high school outreach program that brings local students on-site for hands-on science demos, career panels and a networking lunch with working scientists.
“Mentoring is one of the most important aspects of being a scientist,” Crittenden said.
Balancing all his career expectations, alongside his family, Crittenden is proof that a demanding career and a full life outside of the lab are not mutually exclusive. His story is one of curiosity, opportunity and the legacy of being a great mentor.