Lab Members
Gregory S. Ducker, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Greg grew up in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He attended college nearby at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota where he obtained his B.A. in Chemistry in 2006. After a year working in a molecular diagnostics laboratory and learning about how most oncogenes were signaling proteins called kinases, he moved to California to pursue a Ph.D. with Kevan Shokat at the University of California, Berkeley. At Cal, Greg mostly studied how to block the activity of a master regulator of metabolism kinase, mTOR. His interest in metabolism piqued, Greg dove all-in when he started his postdoctoral work in cancer metabolism with Josh Rabinowitz at Princeton University. As an American Cancer Society fellow, Greg studied one-carbon and amino acid metabolism in cancer. He started his independent career as an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Utah in September of 2018. New to the mountain west, Greg is excited about the hiking and skiing options that start right outside the university.
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Jesse Velasco
Graduate Student
Jesse is a first-generation Mexican immigrant and college student. He is a former undergraduate student of Southwestern Oklahoma State University, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in biology in 2018. His thesis project involves characterizing liver protein catabolic and signaling mechanisms that contribute to plasma amino acid homeostasis in vivo. Outside of the lab, Jesse is actively involved in diversity-promoting and supporting organizations like SACNAS. He loves photography, enjoys cooking, travel, and hiking.
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Kyle Dunlap
Graduate Student
Kyle grew up in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan and attended nearby Oakland University for his undergraduate studies. There, he completed his bachelor's degree in Biochemistry in 2020. Outside of the lab, Kyle enjoys reading, supporting his favorite sports teams, and exploring the Utah outdoors.
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Alexis Bowles
Lab Specialist
Alexis is a recent graduate of the University of Utah, where she earned her bachelor's degree in criminology and a minor in chemistry in 2023. With experience as a phlebotomist, she developed a strong foundation in various medical skills.
Her academic journey led her to the Zelikowsky Neuroscience lab at the University of Utah, where she completed undergraduate research and a post-bac program. Here, she delved into research, nurturing her passion for analytical thinking and problem-solving.
Alexis aspires to pursue a career in forensic science, leveraging her analytical abilities gained from her academic and practical experiences. Outside of her academic pursuits, she enjoys reading, singing, and listening to Taylor Swift.
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Ji Eon Kim, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Bio Coming soon
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Hayden Low
Lab Technician
Bio coming soon
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Austin Bender
Undergraduate Researcher
Bio coming soon
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Ben Baldwin
Undergraduate Researcher
Bio coming soon
Ducker Lab Alumni
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Matt McArdle
Lab Specialist
(2019 - 2020)Matt is a staff scientist at Biofire
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Chad Cooper
Lab Technician
(2018 - 2021)Chad is exploring the mountains.
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Noelle Reimers
Undergraduate Researcher
(2021)Noelle is a graduate student at the University of Washington, Seattle.
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Chase Neumann
Postdoctoral Fellow
(2020 - 2021)Chase now works as a Scientist at Recursion Pharmaceuticals.
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Claire Stanley
Lab Technician
(2021 - 2023)
Claire is attending medical school at the University of Utah