Our People
The Eck laboratory is made up of a collaborative mix of graduate students, research fellows, and scientific staff. Lab members come from multiple backgrounds including biochemistry, biophysics, chemistry, and molecular biology.
Michael Eck
Principal Investigator
Longwood Center, LC 4313
Michael_Eck (at) dfci.harvard.edu
eck (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Eck received his M.D. and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He completed his Postdoctoral training under Dr. Stephen Harrison in Structural Biology at the Boston Children's Hospital and the Harvard Medical School before joining DFCI in 1996. Dr. Eck is currently a Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. His research focuses on the structure and regulation of tyrosine kinases in cancer and on structure-based approaches to discovery of novel inhibitors. The Eck lab also studies the structure of formin proteins and their role in assembling the actin cytoskeleton.
Principal Investigator
Longwood Center, LC 4313
Michael_Eck (at) dfci.harvard.edu
eck (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Eck received his M.D. and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He completed his Postdoctoral training under Dr. Stephen Harrison in Structural Biology at the Boston Children's Hospital and the Harvard Medical School before joining DFCI in 1996. Dr. Eck is currently a Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. His research focuses on the structure and regulation of tyrosine kinases in cancer and on structure-based approaches to discovery of novel inhibitors. The Eck lab also studies the structure of formin proteins and their role in assembling the actin cytoskeleton.
Hyesung Jeon
Senior Scientist
Longwood Center, LC 4311
hjeon (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Jeon earned her PhD in Chemistry and Biophysics from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Boston University. Dr. Jeon is an experienced, independent structural biologist specializing in molecular electron microscopy with a long-term interest in cell surface receptors and their interactions with ligands and intracellular signaling components. She works with multiple structural biology groups at DFCI including the Blacklow and Eck lab. In addition to her talents as an electron microscopist, Dr. Jeon has experience in X-Ray Crystallography, and broad skills as a cell biologist and protein biochemist. She has authored or co-authored more than forty publications over the past decade, and trained a number of successful graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Senior Scientist
Longwood Center, LC 4311
hjeon (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Jeon earned her PhD in Chemistry and Biophysics from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Boston University. Dr. Jeon is an experienced, independent structural biologist specializing in molecular electron microscopy with a long-term interest in cell surface receptors and their interactions with ligands and intracellular signaling components. She works with multiple structural biology groups at DFCI including the Blacklow and Eck lab. In addition to her talents as an electron microscopist, Dr. Jeon has experience in X-Ray Crystallography, and broad skills as a cell biologist and protein biochemist. She has authored or co-authored more than forty publications over the past decade, and trained a number of successful graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Eunyoung Park
Scientist II
Longwood Center, LC 4302
eunyoung (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Park received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry in the lab of Dr. Hyun Kyu Song at Korea University. She completed her Postdoctoral training in Dr. Songs lab, which centered around Protein Crystallography and Biochemical Studies. She joined the Eck lab in 2010 and is focused on understanding the substrate recognition mechanism of proteosomal degradation that might better inform the understanding of many diseases including cancer and neurodegenerative disease. She is also an important communicator in the lab and has mentored her junior colleagues during her time in the lab. Dr. Park also dedicates her time to volunteer work in teaching at various science camps, educating young children.
Scientist II
Longwood Center, LC 4302
eunyoung (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Park received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry in the lab of Dr. Hyun Kyu Song at Korea University. She completed her Postdoctoral training in Dr. Songs lab, which centered around Protein Crystallography and Biochemical Studies. She joined the Eck lab in 2010 and is focused on understanding the substrate recognition mechanism of proteosomal degradation that might better inform the understanding of many diseases including cancer and neurodegenerative disease. She is also an important communicator in the lab and has mentored her junior colleagues during her time in the lab. Dr. Park also dedicates her time to volunteer work in teaching at various science camps, educating young children.
David E. Heppner
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Longwood Center, LC 4302
david_heppner (at) dfci.harvard.edu
heppner (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Heppner completed his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University. He was a Ruth L. Kirschstein postdoctoral fellow at the University of Vermont prior to joining the Eck lab in 2017. His current research focuses on receptor tyrosine kinase structure and drug development.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Longwood Center, LC 4302
david_heppner (at) dfci.harvard.edu
heppner (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Heppner completed his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University. He was a Ruth L. Kirschstein postdoctoral fellow at the University of Vermont prior to joining the Eck lab in 2017. His current research focuses on receptor tyrosine kinase structure and drug development.
Emilie Leroy
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Longwood Center, LC 4302
eleroy (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Leroy received a Ph.D in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Université Catholique de Louvain (Brussels, Belgium) while in the lab of Pr. SN Constantinescu, where she studied the structure and function of JAK2 mutants involved in blood disorders. Although her current research focuses on structural biology, she initially specialized in biochemistry, cell biology and signaling.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Longwood Center, LC 4302
eleroy (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Leroy received a Ph.D in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Université Catholique de Louvain (Brussels, Belgium) while in the lab of Pr. SN Constantinescu, where she studied the structure and function of JAK2 mutants involved in blood disorders. Although her current research focuses on structural biology, she initially specialized in biochemistry, cell biology and signaling.
Kunhua Li
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Longwood Center, LC 4302
kli (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Li obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry, working under the mentorship of Dr. Steven D. Bruner at the University of Florida, where he developed a high-level of expertise in chemistry, protein biochemistry and X-Ray Crystallography. He joined the Eck lab in 2016 to complete his Posdoctoral training. Dr. Li is currently researching aims at providing a detailed structural understanding of auto-inhibitory RAF family kinases, and their conformational dynamics upon RAS-dependent activation.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Longwood Center, LC 4302
kli (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Li obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry, working under the mentorship of Dr. Steven D. Bruner at the University of Florida, where he developed a high-level of expertise in chemistry, protein biochemistry and X-Ray Crystallography. He joined the Eck lab in 2016 to complete his Posdoctoral training. Dr. Li is currently researching aims at providing a detailed structural understanding of auto-inhibitory RAF family kinases, and their conformational dynamics upon RAS-dependent activation.
Zeynep Yurtsever
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Longwood Center, LC 4302
zeynep (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Yurtsever received her Ph.D. in Biology and Biomedical Sciences while in the lab of Dr. Thomas J. Brett at Washington University in St. Louis, where she worked on MAPK13 kinase signaling. She became a member of the Eck lab in 2016 for her Postdoctoral training. Dr. Yurtsever commands specialized knowledge in biochemistry, cell biology and structural biology. Her primary research focus revolves around the structural characterization of Janus kinases and their binding partners using X-ray crystallography.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Longwood Center, LC 4302
zeynep (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Yurtsever received her Ph.D. in Biology and Biomedical Sciences while in the lab of Dr. Thomas J. Brett at Washington University in St. Louis, where she worked on MAPK13 kinase signaling. She became a member of the Eck lab in 2016 for her Postdoctoral training. Dr. Yurtsever commands specialized knowledge in biochemistry, cell biology and structural biology. Her primary research focus revolves around the structural characterization of Janus kinases and their binding partners using X-ray crystallography.
Tyler Beyett
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Longwood Center, LC 4302
tbeyett (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Beyett received his Ph.D. in Chemical Biology from the University of Michigan in the lab of Dr. John J.G. Tesmer, where he studied the structure and pharmacology of GPCR and NF-kB kinases. He joined the Eck lab in 2018 and focuses on combination drug therapies targeting EGFR in lung cancer.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Longwood Center, LC 4302
tbeyett (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Dr. Beyett received his Ph.D. in Chemical Biology from the University of Michigan in the lab of Dr. John J.G. Tesmer, where he studied the structure and pharmacology of GPCR and NF-kB kinases. He joined the Eck lab in 2018 and focuses on combination drug therapies targeting EGFR in lung cancer.
Gonzalo Gonzalez-Del Pino
Graduate Student
Longwood Center, LC 4302
ggonzalezdelpino (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Gonzalo received his B.Sc. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a B.A. in French in 2012 from The University of Miami. As an undergraduate, Gonzalo had a research internship at the University of Miami School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology under Dr. Ralf Landgraf. He joined the Eck lab in 2014.
Graduate Student
Longwood Center, LC 4302
ggonzalezdelpino (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Gonzalo received his B.Sc. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a B.A. in French in 2012 from The University of Miami. As an undergraduate, Gonzalo had a research internship at the University of Miami School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology under Dr. Ralf Landgraf. He joined the Eck lab in 2014.
Hanchen Zhao
Graduate Student
Longwood Center, LC 4302
hanchen (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Hanchen obtained his BS/MS dual degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from Brandeis University. At Brandeis University, Hanchen gained experience as an undergraduate researcher in the Foxman laboratory, where he practiced crystal growth of small molecules and studied the theory of X-ray crystallography. Hanchen recently joined the Eck lab in the Spring of 2017.
Graduate Student
Longwood Center, LC 4302
hanchen (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Hanchen obtained his BS/MS dual degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from Brandeis University. At Brandeis University, Hanchen gained experience as an undergraduate researcher in the Foxman laboratory, where he practiced crystal growth of small molecules and studied the theory of X-ray crystallography. Hanchen recently joined the Eck lab in the Spring of 2017.
Gabriel Gomez
Intern
Longwood Center, LC 4302
ggomez (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Gabriel is a rising senior at Boston Latin Academy and a member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center CURE summer research program. He is using X-ray crystallography to understand EGFR inhibitor synergy.
Intern
Longwood Center, LC 4302
ggomez (at) crystal.harvard.edu
Gabriel is a rising senior at Boston Latin Academy and a member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center CURE summer research program. He is using X-ray crystallography to understand EGFR inhibitor synergy.
John Genova
Technical Director
Longwood Center, LC 3302
John_Genova (at) dfci.harvard.edu
Dr. Genova earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Brown University. Dr. Genova joined the Eck lab as the Technical Director in 2015. John's primary goals are to maintain the necessary equipment for X-ray crystallographic data collection and to train personnel in the safe use of the equipment.
Technical Director
Longwood Center, LC 3302
John_Genova (at) dfci.harvard.edu
Dr. Genova earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Brown University. Dr. Genova joined the Eck lab as the Technical Director in 2015. John's primary goals are to maintain the necessary equipment for X-ray crystallographic data collection and to train personnel in the safe use of the equipment.