Welcome to the Ahn Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder!

The Ahn lab explores molecular mechanisms controlling the dynamics of cell signaling in mammalian systems. Our research examines internal motions in protein kinases and their impact on kinase activation and small molecule inhibition, the control of cell polarity and migration by membrane trafficking, and mechanisms for therapy resistance in cancer cells.  To this end, our research includes proteomics methods for profiling proteins and post-translational modifications by mass spectrometry, analysis of protein allostery by hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry and NMR, and cell-based imaging and biochemical approaches to validate signaling mechanisms and their impact on cell behavior. For details on our current projects, check out our “Research” page.

Lab News

  • March 2024 - Welcome to Biochemistry rotation student Jeff Kuo and new postdoc Theodore L Fobe!
  • November 2023 - Congratulations to Suzannah M, Maria H, Chris C, and Jian T – their paper on the regulation of the WRAMP structure and machine learning algorithm for scoring cell polarization was just accepted at MBC!
  • October 2024 - Congratulations to Jake A, David V, Laurel P, et.al - on their paper: Conformation Selection by ATP-competitive Inhibitors and Allosteric Communication in ERK2 acceptance by eLife!
  • September 2023 - Welcome to new lab member Daniel Thomas!
  • March 2023 - Congradulations to Laurel P, Demian R and Natalie on their paper Activation Loop Plasticity and Active Site Coupling in the MAP Kinase, ERK2. J Mol Biol. 2023!
  • January 2023 - Welcome to new lab member David McCall and Biochemistry rotation student Angie Liu!
  • December 2022 - Welcome to new postdoc Suganya Sekaran!
  • August 2022 - Congratulations to Suzannah Miller for a successful PhD thesis defense!
  • May 2022 - Biochemistry grad student David Vaisar joins the lab!
  • February 2022 - Congratulations to Andy, Scott, and Kristyn on acceptance of their paper by PNAS. 
  • January 2022 - Welcome to Biochemistry rotation student Autumn Matthews!
  • December 2021 - Congratulations to Dylan Iverson for his successful PhD thesis defense!
  • October 2021 - Welcome to Biochemistry rotation students Haileigh Houser and Lottie Steward!
  • August 2021 - Congratulations to Laurel, Jake, and Natalie for their review "Dynamic Equilibria in Protein Kinases."
  • August 2021 - Welcome to Biochemistry rotation students Sashi Weerawarana and Henry Valleayala!
  • August 2021 - Congratulations to Andrew Kavran for successfully defending his PhD thesis!
  • May 2021 - Biochemistry grad student Kristyn Hayashi joins the lab!
  • March 2021.- Welcome to Biochemistry rotation student Riley Ill!
  • October 2020 - Welcome to Biochemistry rotation student Kristyn Hayashi!
  • August 2020 - Welcome to Biochemistry rotation student Logan McCoy!
  • July 2020 - Congratulations to Dylan et al. for acceptance of their paper to Biochemistry
  • May 2020 - Members of the Ahn lab return to on-campus research after closing the lab due to COVID19.
  • January 2020 - Welcome to our Biochemistry rotation student Victor Passanisi!
  • October 2019 - Welcome to undergraduate Jake Anderson, who will be working with Laurel on ERK inhibitors!
  • August 2019 - Welcome to our new technician Eleonora Claessens, Biochemistry rotation student Kevin Clopper, and new undergrad researcher Jason Haw!
  • July 2019 - Congratulations to Laurel, Maria, Dylan, Jen, and Johannes, et al., on acceptance and publication of their paper in PNAS
  • June 2019 - Congratulations to Pelle Simpson for completing his Masters of Science in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Amsterdam!