Daniel Keedy has been an Assistant Professor with the Structural Biology Initiative at the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The City College of New York since January 2018. He is also affiliated with the PhD Programs in Biochemistry; Chemistry; and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCD) at the CUNY Graduate Center.

Prior to his appointment, Daniel was an AP Giannini Postdoctoral Fellow in Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco working with James Fraser. He earned his PhD in Biochemistry and Structural Biology & Biophysics from Duke University with Jane and David Richardson, after receiving his BA in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from Rhodes College.

As principal investigator of the Keedy Lab, Daniel develops experimental and computational methods to control proteins by biasing toward specific conformations that underlie functions such as allostery, ligand binding, and catalysis. His work reveals new opportunities to modulate the activities of therapeutic targets such as protein tyrosine phosphatases with small molecules and protein engineering, and also offers insights into more general evolutionary processes that led to functional diversity in the human proteome. Daniel has received a Cottrell Scholar Award and CCNY CCAPP STEM Teacher of the Year Award.

Shakhriyor “Shah” Djuraev is a senior biochemistry student at The City College of New York with a passion for hands-on laboratory work sparked through his undergraduate biology and chemistry lab courses. Shah built further on his laboratory skills in the CIPASS Biotechnology/Biology Lab Skills Program, where he gained exposure to techniques such as DNA extraction, PCR, western blotting, ELISA, and cell culture, along with protein purification and gel electrophoresis. His academic curiosity deepened in CHEM 32002 (Biochemistry I) with Dr. Keedy, where a group project on engineering mutations in the protein phosphatase PTP1B sparked his interest in protein research. This led Shah to join the Keedy lab in Fall 2024 for Honors research, where he is eager to expand his knowledge of protein phosphatases, refine his wet-lab skills, and explore his future career options. In addition to his academic endeavors, Shah balances his time as a part-time EMT with Assist Ambulance and as a counter person at a bustling Italian American pizzeria in Brooklyn, where he pursues his love for crafting Neapolitan-style pizza.

Ali is a BSc (Hons) Biology and MPhil Biochemistry graduate of the University of Portsmouth, UK. His MPhil focused on the characterisation of cellulases involved in the production of second-generation biofuels, igniting an interest into the field of X-ray crystallography. He earned his PhD from the University of Essex, UK, in early 2020, under the co-supervision of Dr. Mike Hough from the University of Essex and Dr. Robin Owen from Diamond Light Source, UK. His research focused on the development of serial crystallography data collection and processing methods for both synchrotrons and X-ray free-electron lasers, used to analyse and exploit the effects of radiation damage in metalloproteins. Ali joined the Keedy lab as a postdoc in the spring of 2020 (though the pandemic had something to say about that…). He aims to bring his experience in crystallographic multi-dataset processing and analysis to the ASRC, in order to further unlock understanding within the field of phosphatase ligand binding, activity, and allostery.

Alexis “Lexi” Lemberikman graduated from Baruch College in 2023 with a BA degree in biological sciences and a minor in psychology. During her undergraduate years, she immersed herself in fruit fly husbandry and bioinformatics, specializing in genomics-focused projects involving gene annotation in Drosophila species, under the guidance of faculty mentor Dr. Krista Dobi. Upon admission to the NSF RaMP post-baccalaureate program, Lexi joined the Keedy Lab in August 2023, allowing her the opportunity to explore her interests in computational biology and develop a love for the collaborative, hands-on nature of benchwork. In addition to being involved in various fragment-screening projects in the lab, her current project utilizes time-resolved X-ray crystallography in the pursuit of revealing alternate conformations of proteins. In deepening her knowledge of structural biology, Lexi aspires to ultimately merge her love for the sciences with her passion for medicine.

Originally from Colombia, Liliana graduated with BS in Biological Engineering from National University of Colombia. Liliana moved to New York in 2016 to pursue a career in Biochemistry. In 2021, Liliana graduated with a Masters in Biochemistry from Hunter College, before joining the CUNY Biochemistry PhD Program. In 2022, she joined the Keedy Lab, where she hopes to focus her research on the study of allosteric networks of phosphatases with the use of computational tools.

Tamar graduated summa cum laude from Chatham University in Pittsburgh in 2016, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. After graduating, she worked with Dr. David Koes at the University of Pittsburgh on computational drug design for various therapeutic targets. Tamar is now pursuing her PhD in Biochemistry at CUNY. In 2018, she joined the Keedy Lab, where she is developing computational strategies to leverage multistate models of protein structures with large numbers of protein:ligand structures to design novel allosteric inhibitors for phosphatases.

Born and raised in Delhi, India, Shivani moved to the States when she was 18. She completed her Bachelor’s in Science from a small university in Maryville, Missouri and transitioned to working full time at Stowers Institute for Medical research in 2017. Later, to get a taste of industry, she found a position at Eurofins, working as a scientist in the protein chemistry team. She then completed her Masters in Biochemistry from Iowa State University in 2020, where she explored the mechanisms of activation of Pyk2 tyrosine kinase. After entering the CUNY Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCD) PhD Program in 2020, she joined the Keedy lab in 2021, where she is currently learning new computational approaches to complement her wet lab skill set as she seeks to answer outstanding questions about the structural biology of tyrosine phosphatases.

Virgil graduated from the University of Chicago in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences and a minor in Physics. During his undergraduate studies he also performed research at the University of California, San Diego, using Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry (HDX-MS) experiments to study protein dynamics, protein-ligand interactions, and protein-protein interactions, including antibody-epitope mapping. After his undergraduate degree, Virgil worked as a Research Associate at Sorrento Therapeutics in La Jolla, CA, where he applied his HDX-MS and other protein analytics skills to new systems, before joining the CUNY Biochemistry PhD Program in 2019. In 2020, he joined the Keedy Lab, where he is using a combination of solution and crystallographic experiments to map (and exploit) interactions between ligands at different sites in the structures of phosphatase enzymes.

Julia graduated summa cum laude from Hunter College in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry. During her undergraduate studies, she worked as a medical assistant at a primary care physician office, performing initial assessments and assisting physicians with in-house exams like EKGs and urinary analysis. After graduating, the pandemic inspired her to volunteer in Infection Control at The Brooklyn Hospital Center where she conducted regular IC rounds of facility cleanliness and adherence to infection control guidelines. As part of the CCNY B3 RaMP postbaccalaureate program, Julia joined the Keedy Lab in August 2024, where she hopes to work collaboratively to develop her wet lab skills in addition to learning about computational methods. She aims to expand her knowledge about the structural biology of protein tyrosine phosphatases and their biological roles in illnesses.