Justin Snider, PhD

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

• Ph.D., Molecular and Cellular Biology, Stony Brook University
• M.S., Biochemistry, Medical University of South Carolina
• B.S., Biology, Washington State University

RESEARCH & INTERESTS

Dr. Snider’s research focuses on uncovering how lipid metabolism drives cancer biology, using cutting-edge mass spectrometry and chromatography approaches. His lab studies how complex lipid pathways generate bioactive molecules with powerful, but still poorly understood, roles in cell signaling and disease progression. By using isotopically labeled and odd-chain lipid substrates, his team dissects the dynamics of de novo lipid metabolism and reveals how chemotherapeutic agents reshape these signaling networks.

Current projects in the lab emphasize biomarker discovery and assay development in prostate and colon cancers. Students are actively involved in applying untargeted metabolomics to identify key metabolites linked to cancer progression, followed by the development of robust quantitative assays for clinical and translational research. This work provides hands-on training in advanced analytical technologies while addressing fundamental questions with direct relevance to human health.

Current Projects: 

1) Lipid-Based Biomarkers for Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness

We are developing a high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS) platform to quantify clinically relevant lipid metabolites in human plasma. Using untargeted lipidomics on samples from over 250 prostate cancer patients, we have identified more than 20 lipid species that are significantly altered with disease state. Ongoing work focuses on translating these discoveries into defined cutoff values that can distinguish indolent from aggressive prostate cancer and translational cancer biology, offering trainees exposure to clinically impactful research.

2) Defining Roles of Sphingolipid Metabolism in Alzheimer’s Disease

Our lab investigates how neurotoxic 1-deoxysphingolipids (DSLs) contribute to Alzheimer’s disease progression and how serine metabolism regulates their formation in neurons and astrocytes. Using untargeted lipidomics of postmortem human brain tissue, we identified DSLs as among the most significantly elevated lipids in Alzheimer’s disease, motivating the development of targeted LC–MS/MS assays to quantify these pathways. We combine these analytical tools with physiologically relevant astrocyte–neuron co-culture systems and stable isotope tracing to define sphingolipid metabolic flux under Alzheimer’s-like conditions. Ongoing studies examine how amyloid-β exposure and altered serine racemase activity shift canonical and non-canonical sphingolipid metabolism toward neurotoxic DSL production. Our work aims to identify specific lipids and metabolic pathways that contribute to neuronal death, providing new mechanistic insight into neurodegeneration and potential therapeutic targets.

Completed, Ongoing, and Emerging Projects

1) Engineering Brown Recluse Spider Venom for Mechanistic Insight and Synthetic Antivenom Development

We are modifying and profiling venom-derived lipids and proteins to better understand their mechanism of tissue damage, with the long-term goal of developing safer, synthetic antivenoms.

2) Lipid Metabolism in Spinal Cord Injury and Recovery

This project investigates lipid-mediated signaling pathways that influence neuronal damage and regeneration following spinal cord injury, aiming to identify mechanisms that can improve functional recovery.

3) Fermentation Science and Antioxidant Production in Beer

Using metabolomics and lipidomics, we study fermentation processes to enhance the generation and recovery of antioxidant compounds in beer, bridging analytical chemistry with food and fermentation science.

4) Lipid Flux in Colon Cancer Driven by Common Mutations

We examine how four frequently occurring colon cancer mutations reprogram lipid metabolism to promote tumor formation. This project uses isotope tracing to directly measure lipid flux and identify metabolic vulnerabilities.

5) Native Southwestern Seed Oils as Novel Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

We are profiling lipid compositions of indigenous Southwestern plants and have identified several cactus species that produce omega-3 fatty acids, representing a potential sustainable, vegan source of these essential lipids.

Selected Peer-Review Publications from Research

Snider JM, You JK, Wang X, Snider AJ, Hallmark B, Zec MM, Seeds MC, Sergeant S, Johnstone L, Wang Q, Sprissler R, Carr TF, Lutrick K, Parthasarathy S, Bime C, Zhang HH, Luberto C, Kew RR, Hannun YA, Guerra S, McCall CE, Yao G, Del Poeta M, Chilton FH. Group IIA secreted phospholipase A2 is associated with the pathobiology leading to COVID-19 mortality. J Clin Invest. 2021 Oct 1;131(19). doi: 10.1172/JCI149236. PubMed PMID: 34428181; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8483752.

Scholpa NE, Simmons EC, Snider JM, Barrett K, Buss LG, Schnellmann RG. Evolution of Lipid Metabolism in the Injured Mouse Spinal Cord. J Neurotrauma. 2025 Feb;42(3-4):182-196. doi: 10.1089/neu.2024.0385. Epub 2024 Dec 17. PubMed PMID: 39686743; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12056580.

Lee AH, Snider JM, Moorthi S, Coant N, Trayssac M, Canals D, Clarke CJ, Luberto C, Hannun YA. A comprehensive measure of Golgi sphingolipid flux using NBD C(6)-ceramide: evaluation of sphingolipid inhibitors. J Lipid Res. 2024 Aug;65(8):100584. doi: 10.1016/j.jlr.2024.100584. Epub 2024 Jun 24. PubMed PMID: 38925252; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11326893

Liu T, Furlong MA, Snider JM, Beitel S, Mullins CE, Walker DI, Goodrich JM, Urwin DJ, Gabriel J, Hughes J, Gulotta JJ, Calkins MM, Liu Y, von Hippel FA, Beamer P, Burgess JL. Evaluating urinary metabolic profiles with wildland-urban-interface (wui) fire exposure among male firefighters: a comparison with municipal structure fires (msf). Environ Health. 2025 Nov 17;24(1):88. doi: 10.1186/s12940-025-01239-7. PubMed PMID: 41250158; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12625405.

Snider JM, Snider AJ, Obeid LM, Luberto C, Hannun YA.  Probing de novo sphingolipid metabolism in mammalian cells utilizing mass spectrometry. J. Lipid Res. 2018 June; 59(6)1046-1057. PMID: 29610123. PMCID: PMC5983394. Figure 1 was selected for cover page of JLR.

Snider JM, Trayssac M, Clarke CJ, Schwartz N, Snider AJ, Obeid LM, Luberto C, Hannun YA.  Flux analysis reveals regulation of the sphingolipid network by doxorubicin in breast cancer cells. J Lipid Res. 2018 Dec.  PMID 30573560. PMCID: in progress.