Hee-Kyung Ahn
Royal Society University Research Fellow
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences
- School of Biological Sciences
Contact details
- Email: hahn2@ed.ac.uk
Address
- Street
-
Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences
Rm. G.26A, Daniel Rutherford Building
Max Born Crescent
The King's Buildings - City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH9 3BF
Background
I have completed my BSc and PhD in Systems Biology, at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea. During my PhD studies, I focused on characterizing the plant chaperonin complex that is essential for cell survival. After completing my PhD, I started my postdoctoral research at The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL), Norwich, United Kingdom. My main research focus during my postdoc was on plant intracellular immune receptors that are oligomerized upon pathogen recognition. Throughout my research, I am interested in investigating the role of protein oligomerization as a post-translational regulatory layer, and wish to further understand the molecular mechanism behind protein complex assembly in plant cells.
2024 Royal Society University Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
2018 Postdoctoral scientist, The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, United Kingdom
Qualifications
2018 PhD, Systems Biology, Yonsei University, South Korea
2011 BSc, Systems Biology, Yonsei University, South Korea
Undergraduate teaching
I participate in teaching Molecular and Synthetic Plant Biology 3 (BILG09021, main course organizer: Dr. Attila Molnar), focusing on plant-microbe interactions.
Open to PhD supervision enquiries?
Yes
Research summary
Cells are made of various components required for its survival. Most of these proteins do not work alone. Multiple proteins assemble into protein complexes, including immune receptor proteins inside plant cells that detect pathogen invasion. These intracellular immune receptors assemble together into wheel-like structures when they detect pathogen proteins in the cell. I am interested in investigating how these protein complexes are assembled in plant cells. Furthermore, I am interested in identifying novel immune receptors based on their biochemical properties. The disease resistance of crops are constantly threatened by newly evolving pathogens, and identifying new immune receptors will provide a solution to durable resistance.
Current project grants
2024 Royal Society University Research Fellowship