About Us

We are a biochemistry and cell biology lab that is interested in understanding how human cells adapt their morphology and spatial distribution to changing cellular conditions and how proteins and protein complexes that are associated with membranes regulate the multi-dimensional organizational principles of cellular systems.

Our current work is focused on exploring how macromolecules get together, communicate with each other, and facilitate physiological processes. We seek to understand how biological machines work–especially those that depend on lipids for their form and function. We probe the mechanistic details of cellular functions using structure-function based approaches, cell biology tools, biophysics, protein biochemistry, electron cryo-microscopy (cryoEM), and other structural methods.

We aim to bridge detailed biophysical studies with a deeper knowledge of cellular function to advance our understanding of how biomolecular machines function normally, and how they are corrupted by disease.We seek to build and maintain an environment that integrates the new technologies in cell biology, biophysics, and high-resolution imaging techniques.

Meet Our Lab

  • Halil Aydin, Ph.D.

    ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

    EDUCATION

    Postdoctoral fellowship, University of California, San Francisco

    Ph.D., University of Toronto 2016

    Selected Honors & Awards

    2024 Barth Syndrome Foundation Award

    2023 Boettcher Foundation Biomedical Research Award

    2017 Human Frontiers Science Program Postdoctoral Fellowship

    2017 Stuart Alan Hoffman Prize, University of Toronto

    2015 Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) International

    Google Scholar

    LinkedIn

  • Akhil Gargey Iragavarapu

    POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR

    EDUCATION

    Ph.D. Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2021

    B.S. Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology at Rourkela, India, 2016

  • Hannah Arthur

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    EDUCATION

    B.S. Chemistry, Hollins University 2022

  • Lucero Castorena Casillas

    PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT

    EDUCATION

    B.S. Microbiology, Colorado State University 2022

  • Siri Thatavarthy

    PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT

    EDUCATION

    M.S. Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Bloomington 2021

    B.E Biotechnology, Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology, Bangalore, India, 2018

  • Gabriela Sullivan

    PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT

    EDUCATION

    B.A. Biochemistry and Chemistry, University of Colorado Boulder 2023

  • Ashley Croteau

    PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT

    EDUCATION

    B.A. Biochemistry and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder 2024

  • Carla Eyre

    UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

    UROP Scholar

    EDUCATION

    B.A. Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder

  • Victoria Kiss

    UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

    Biochemistry Undergraduate Research Scholar

    EDUCATION

    B.A. Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder

ALUMNI

Postdoctoral Fellows

  • Dr. Kelly Zuccaro
    American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellow 2021 – 2024

Staff

  • Jeremy Bennett
    Professional Research Assistant 2021 – 2023

  • Gracie Sapp
    Professional Research Assistant 2021 – 2023

  • Adam Voss
    Professional Research Assistant 2021 – 2023

Undergraduate Students

  • Rebecca Cone (2021-2022)

Join Our Team

 

  • We welcome inquiries from talented scientists seeking positions as postdoctoral scholars. If interested, please email directly to Halil Aydin.

  • We welcome students interested in rotating and/or performing their graduate work in our lab. The lab currently participates in the Biochemistry, MCDB, and IQ Biology graduate programs. To inquire about a potential rotation, please email Halil Aydin.

  • We look for undergraduate students with a strong sense of curiosity and a drive to excel. Prospective students should email Halil Aydin.