Young-Hoon Ahn, PI
ya426@drexel.edu
Ahn received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemistry from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in Korea. He received his Ph.D. in Bioorganic Chemistry from New York University working with Professor Young-Tae Chang. His research focused on the development and application of fluorescent bio-imaging probes. He did his post-doctoral research in Pharmacology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine with Professor Philip A. Cole. His post-doctoral research focused on investigating cysteine-based signaling pathways with chemical probes. He began his tenure-track faculty position in the Department of Chemistry at Wayne State University in 2012 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2018. He moved to Drexel University Department of Chemistry in 2022.
William Schiff, Ph.D.
ws472@drexel.edu
William is a postdoc fellow. He graduated from Goucher College with his BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Magna Cum Laude) and received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Brandeis University. He joined the Ahn Lab in 2022 as a postdoc fellow. William works on a project, using protein biochemistry and cell biology, investigating cysteine glutathionylation regulating cancer cell migration and progression.
Madhu Shivamadhu, Ph.D.
mc4474@drexel.edu
Madhu is a postdoc fellow. He received his BS in Chemistry from the University of Mysore and his MS in Biochemistry from Bangalore University in India. He then earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Mysore, studying chitin-specific lectin isolated from Praecitrullus fistulosus. He also did post-doctoral training in biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan before joining the Ahn Lab in 2022. In the Ahn Lab, Madhu works on a project using cell biology and animal studies, investigating protein glutathionylation regulating cell migration and invasion.
Padmavathi Rayavarapu
rr3232@drexel.edu
Padma is a postdoc researcher. She earned her BS and MS degrees in Chemical Science from the University of Hyderabad. She then received her PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER). She works on a chemical biology project, developing glutathione-based chemical probes to investigate glutathione biology and develop potential therapeutic leads in cancer and inflammation.
Daniel Oppong
do454@drexel.edu
Daniel is a graduate student. He graduated from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana with a BS degree in Chemistry. He earned his MS degree at Central Michigan University, studying enzymes in DNA repair. He joined the Ahn Lab at Wayne State University in 2019. Daniel works on a chemical biology project, developing chemical probes for functional studies of protein S-glutathionylation.
Faezeh Mashhadi Ramezani
fmm66@drexel.edu
Faezeh is a graduate student. Faezeh received BS and MS in Chemistry from Zanjan University and Imam Khomeini International University, Iran. Faezeh started the Ahn lab from the fall term of 2023. Faezeh works on the proteomic identification of glutathionylated proteins associated with cancer cell migration. Faezeh is our official party organizer!
Ahmed Bulhassan
ab445@drexel.edu
Ahmed is a graduate student starting the Fall term of 2024 in the Ahn laboratory. He received BS and MS degrees in Chemistry from Drexel University and an MS in Biochemistry from Drexel College of Medicine. Ahmed works on developing glutathione probes to uncover the non-canonical roles of glutathione using chemical proteomics and redox biology.
Divya Das
dd3398@gmail.com
Divya is a graduate student starting the Fall term of 2024 in the Ahn laboratory. She received the integrated MS degree in Chemistry from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, a private University in India. She then worked as a junior research fellow at the Indian Institute of Technology. Divya works on medicinal chemistry and chemical biology related to protein glutathionylation.
Talan Khasro
tdk43@drexel.edu
Talan is an undergraduate student majoring in biology at Drexel University. She received the Marynoff Fellowship in 2023 and started research in the Ahn lab in the summer of 2023. Talan works on the chemical biology approach to investigating the calcium-sensing receptor.
Steven Lawandy
shl53@drexel.edu
Steven is an undergraduate student majoring in Chemistry at Drexel University. Steven started his research in the winter term of 2024. Steven works on studying protein glutathionylation using our clickable glutathione approach in cancer cells.
Past members
Past Postdoc
Bo Huang, 2018-2020, bohuangbbc@gmail.com
Past Graduate Students
Nadee Matarage Do, 2024 Ph.D. nm3336@drexel.edu
Poornima Herath Mudiyanselage, 2024 Ph.D. gq0437@wayne.edu
Dhanushika Kukulage, 2023 Ph.D. Research Scientist, Emervax Inc. dhanushika@wayne.edu
Adeleye Adewale, 2022 Ph.D. adeleye.adewale@wayne.edu
Maheeshi Yapa Abeywardana, 2022 Ph.D. Postdoc, Harvard Medical School, myapaabeywardana@bwh.harvard.edu
Sewvandi Gurusingha Arachchige, 2022 Ph.D. harshanisewvandi@wayne.edu
Iftekher Mahmud, 2020 M.A. gi9802@wayne.edu
Dhanushka (Nalin) Munkanatta Godage, 2018 Ph.D. Broad Institute, nalin852004410@gmail.com
Fidelis Ndombera, 2018 Ph.D. Research Associate, Covance, Indiana. fidelis@chem.wayne.edu
Dilini Kekulandara, 2018 Ph.D. Postdoc, Wayne State University Medical school. dilini.kekulandara@wayne.edu
Kusal Samarasinghe, 2017 Ph.D. Postdoc, Yale University. kusal.samarasinghe@yale.edu
Past Undergraduate Students
Sam Hawk, 2023, B.S. Chemistry, Drexel University.
Rami Razooq, 2022, B.S. Biochemistry and Chemical Biology, Wayne State University.
Bilal Kawsara, 2021, B.S. Biochemistry and Chemical Biology, Wayne State University.
Shima Nagi, 2021, B.S. Biochemistry and Chemical Biology, Wayne State University.
Huy Nguyen, 2020, B.S. Biochemistry and Chemical Biology, Wayne State University.
Batoul Ayad, 2020, B. S. Biochemistry, Wayne State University.
Karam Razooq, 2019, B. S. Biochemistry, Wayne State University (Pharmacy, Ohio State U)
Ahmed Ayantayo, 2019, B.S. Biochemistry, Wayne State University (WSU, Medical School)
Dhruvil Patel, 2019, B.S. Biochemistry, Wayne State University (WSU, Medical School)
Garrett VanHecke, 2015, B.S. Chemistry, Wayne State University (University of Michigan, Dental School)
Adam Schlichther, 2018, B.S. Chemistry, Wayne State University.
Nirmeen Chouaib, 2018, B.S. Biochemistry and Chemical Biology, Wayne State University.
Mohammed Alzamami, 2017, B.S. Biochemistry and Chemical Biology, Wayne State University.
Mawadah Samad, 2017, B.S. Biochemistry and Chemical Biology, Wayne State University.
Justin Macks, 2017, B.S. Chemistry, Wayne State University.
Ivan Pavlinov, 2015, B.S. Biochemistry and Chemical Biology, Wayne State University.
Thomas Fell, 2015, B.S. Biochemistry and Chemical Biology, Wayne State University.
Chris Smith, 2013, B.S. Biochemistry and Chemical Biology, Wayne State University.