Dr. Alex R.B. Thomsen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Pathobiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at New York University, and holds B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. The majority of Alex’s research has been focused on G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and how this family of cell membrane proteins can be used as drug targets to treat a variety of diseases. Alex has performed research in several world-leading laboratories including Dr. Edward M. Brown’s laboratory at Harvard Medical School and Nobel Laureate Dr. Robert J. Lefkowitz’s laboratory at Duke University Medical Center. During his postdoctoral training in the Lefkowitz Lab, Alex discovered a new mechanism of how some GPCRs continue to signal after they have been internalized into endosomes, which was published in the scientific journals Cell, Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, and PNAS. Before coming to New York University, Alex was an Assistant Professor at Columbia University Medical Center where he initiated his own laboratory that studies endosomal GPCR signaling from multiple perspectives. During his short career, Alex has been the recipient of substantial grant awards and prizes including the Sapere Aude: Young Elite Researcher Prize.
Hyunggu Hahn. D Dr. Hyunggu Hahn is a Postdoctoral Associate who obtained B.Sc. Biochemistry and M.Res. Biosciences with emphasis on structural biology from University College London, UK. He received his Ph.D. in X-ray crystallography from the College of Pharmacy at Seoul National University (South Korea) under the supervision of Prof. Byung Woo Han. Following his Ph.D., Hyunggu worked at the National Cancer Center (South Korea) on the structural characterization of signaling proteins before joining the Thomsen Lab. His research interests are elucidating the molecular mechanism of GPCR signaling through its downstream transducers in order to understand the structural basis for the interaction between the receptors and their binding partners using both in vitro and in silico methods.
David Hernandez. Dr. David Hernandez is originally from Mexico City, Mexico, and hold a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), where he studied the role of particulate matter (PM10) in lung cancer. He later obtained his Master’s and Ph.D. (with honors) in Biochemical Sciences from UNAM, focusing on the regulation of α1-adrenergic receptors, including their desensitization, trafficking, and phosphorylation. Dr. Hernandez completed postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Diego under the mentorship of Silvio Gutkind and Joan Heller Brown, studying GPCR signaling in cancer and inflammation. Currently, his research focuses on vasopressin type 2 receptor subcellular signaling and its role in regulating ion channels such as ENaC and aquaporin-2.
Surbhi Chitnis. Dr. Surbhi Chitnis is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Thomsen Lab, who obtained her Bachelor’s in Pharmacy from the University of Mumbai, India, followed by an M.S. and Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from the University at Buffalo. Her doctoral research focused on structure-guided design and functional characterization of small-molecule inhibitors targeting oncogenic kinases, with a focus on EGFR in non-small cell lung cancer. She developed and characterized a new class of mutant-selective EGFR inhibitors, integrating medicinal chemistry, X-ray crystallography, and in vitro assays to advance targeted cancer therapeutics. In the Thomsen Lab, her current research interests lie in GPCR-targeted drug discovery, with a focus on structure-based design and mechanistic pharmacology to develop next-generation therapeutics. Outside the lab, she enjoys spending time with friends and winding down with a good Netflix series after a busy day.
Erica (Minyoung) Song. Erica is an undergraduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences at New York University, where she is pursuing a B.A. in Biology on the pre-dental track. She joined Dr. Alex Thomsen’s lab in March 2026 as an undergraduate research intern, and her research interests focus on understanding how GPCR signaling functions in diseases, particularly in cancer cells, and how this can contribute to the development of improved treatments. After completing her undergraduate degree, she plans to pursue a career in dentistry and hopes to continue conducting research.