About
As a first generation college student, I received my B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, respectively, from Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea. I then earned my Ph.D. from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (Advisor: Prof. Karin Musier-Forsyth). After a period as a postdoctoral scholar at the Pennsylvania State University (Mentor: Prof. Stephen J. Benkovic), I joined the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry as a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) in 2011 and promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2018. As far as I know, I am the first Asian faculty who got promoted with a tenure at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UMBC.
Research interests
The long-term objective of my laboratory is to understand how metabolic flux is regulated in space and time by metabolic enzymes and their assemblies at subcellular levels in human cells, and how such regulatory networks are altered or reprogramed in human chronic diseases, including but not limited to cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Our seminal contributions to the discovery of two functionally relevant, spatially resolved metabolic assemblies in glucose metabolism and de novo purine biosynthesis in living human cells, namely the glucosome and the purinosome, respectively, have led us to explore three sustainable research objectives: (i) fundamental assembly mechanisms behind their reversible dynamics in living human cells, (ii) their regulatory mechanisms in association with signaling pathways, and (iii) their functional contributions to cellular metabolism and thus their alteration in human diseases. To achieve our goals, we have primarily employed quantitative fluorescence live-cell imaging by wide-field, confocal and lattice light sheet fluorescence microscopy (in collaboration with Dr. Minjoung Kyoung (UMBC)) to explore subcellular localization-function-regulation relationships of the metabolic assemblies in living human cells, yet we have also enthusiastically applied complementary biochemical, cellular and mathematical modeling methods. As of today, we have contributed to a new paradigm that spatial assemblies of metabolic enzymes represent their functional modes in regulation of metabolic flux and that their dynamics at single-cell as well as population levels represent real-time metabolic adaptation in given conditions. Collectively, our track record strongly supports that our lab has pioneered a previously unexplored territory of biochemistry, opening a new avenue of cellular biochemistry.
Teaching interests
Comprehensive Biochemistry II, Cellular Biochemistry, Molecular Imaging for Drug Discovery, Advanced Biochemistry, Introduction of General, Organic and Biochemistry.
Publications
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Mechanistic insights into condensate formation of human liver-type phosphofructokinase by stochastic modeling approaches 2024
Scientific Reports · 14 · pp. 19011
Hye-Won Kang, Luan Nguyen, Songon An, Minjoung Kyoung
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Size-specific modulation of a multienzyme glucosome assembly during the cell cycle
2023
ACS Bio and Med Chem Au · 3 (5) · pp. 461-470
Miji Jeon, Danielle L Schmitt, Minjoung Kyoung, Songon An
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High-throughput screening identifies cell cycle-associated signaling cascades that regulate a multienzyme metabolic assembly in human cells
2023
PLoS One · 18 · pp. e0289707
Danielle L Schmitt, Patricia Dranchak, Prakash Parajuli, Dvir Blivis, Ty Voss, Casey L Kohnhorst, Minjoung Kyoung, James Inglese, Songon An
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Multi-dimensional fluorescence live-cell imaging for glucosome dynamics in living human cells 2022
Methods in Molecular Biology
Songon An, Prakash Parajuli, Erin L Kennedy, Minjoung Kyoung
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Subcellular regulation of glucose metabolism through multienzyme glucosome assemblies by EGF-ERK1/2 signaling pathways 2022
Journal of Biological Chemistry · 298 · pp. 101675
Miji Jeon, Krishna M Chauhan, Gregory L Szeto, Minjoung Kyoung, Songon An
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Functional oscillation of a multienzyme glucosome assembly during cell cycle progression 2022
bioRxiv
Miji Jeon, Danielle L Schmitt, Minjoung Kyoung, Songon An
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Phase-Separated Condensates of Metabolic Complexes in Living Cells: Purinosome and Glucosome 2019
Methods in Enzymology · 628 · pp. 1-17
Songon An, Miji Jeon, Erin L Kennedy, Minjoung Kyoung
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Reversible Compartmentalization of de novo Purine Biosynthetic Complexes in Living Cells 2008
320 · pp. 103-106
Songon An, Ravindra Kumar, Erin D Sheets, Stephen J Benkovic
Presentations
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Role of Hypoxia in Glucosome Formation and Function in Cancer Cells 2026
ACS Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting 2026 · ACS · Poster
Bijaya B.K. (Author & Presenter), Deepika Jaiswal (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Functional Contribution of Multienzyme Glucosome Condensates to Cellular Redox Homeostasis 2026
Graduate Research Day · University of Maryland, Baltimore County · Oral Presentation
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Bijaya B.K. (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Functional Contribution of Multienzyme Glucosome Condensates to Cellular Redox Homeostasis 2026
The Annual Frontiers at the Chemistry-Biology Interface Symposium · University of Maryland, Baltimore County · Poster
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Bijaya B.K. (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Role of Hypoxia in Glucosome Formation and Function in Cancer Cells 2026
The Annual Frontiers at the Chemistry-Biology Interface Symposium · University of Maryland, Baltimore County · Poster
Bijaya B.K. (Author & Presenter), Deepika Jaiswal (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Role of Hypoxia in Glucosome Formation and Function in Cancer Cells 2026
Graduate Research Day · University of Maryland, Baltimore County · Poster
Bijaya B.K. (Author & Presenter), Deepika Jaiswal (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Size-specific Regulation of Multienzyme Glucosomes by Signaling Pathways 2026
The 2026 Annual Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Retreat · University of Maryland, School of Medicine · Oral Presentation
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Functional Contribution of Multienzyme Glucosome Condensates to Cellular Redox Homeostasis 2025
The Annual Frontiers at the Chemistry-Biology Interface Symposium · University of Maryland, Baltimore County · Poster
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Modulating size distribution of glucosomes to understand their size-dependent functional contributions to cellular redox homeostasis 2025
Graduate Research Day · UMBC · Poster
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Functional Contribution of Multienzyme Glucosome Condensates to Cellular Redox Homeostasis 2025
The 2025 Annual Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Retreat · University of Maryland, School of Medicine · Poster
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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DECODING GLUCOSOME: REVEALING THE FUNCTION-DEPENDENT COMPOSITION OF GLUCOSOMES 2024
The 2024 SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Fest · University of Maryland, Baltimore County · Poster
Augustine Obisesan (Author & Presenter), Ashesh Sharma (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Real-time Visualization of Glucose Metabolism through Multienzyme Glucosome Assemblies in Living Cells 2024
The Gordon Research Conference: Enzymes, Coenzymes and Metabolic Pathways · The Gordon Research Conference · Oral Presentation
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Dynamic Association of Multienzyme Glucosome Assemblies with the Cell Cycle in Human Cells 2024
The Gordon Research Conference: Enzymes, Coenzymes and Metabolic Pathways · The Gordon Research Conference · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author), Danielle L Schmitt (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author & Presenter)
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DECODING GLUCOSOME: REVEALING THE FUNCTION-DEPENDENT COMPOSITION OF GLUCOSOMES 2024
The Annual Frontiers at the Chemistry-Biology Interface Symposium · University of Maryland, Baltimore County · Poster
Augustine Obisesan (Author & Presenter), Ashesh Sharma (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Modulating size distribution of glucosomes to understand their functional contributions to cellular redox homeostasis 2024
The Annual Frontiers at the Chemistry-Biology Interface Symposium · University of Maryland, Baltimore County · Poster
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Modulating size distribution of glucosomes to understand their size-dependent functional contributions to cellular redox homeostasis 2024
CNMS Graduate Research Festival · UMBC · Poster
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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DECODING GLUCOSOME: REVEALING THE FUNCTION-DEPENDENT COMPOSITION OF GLUCOSOMES 2024
The Annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD), University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD · University of Maryland, Baltimore County · Poster
Augustine Obisesan (Author & Presenter), Ashesh Sharma (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Modulating size distribution of glucosomes to understand their size-dependent functional contributions to cellular redox homeostasis 2024
Graduate Experience, Achievements & Research Symposium · UMBC · Poster
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Modulating size distribution of glucosomes to understand their size-dependent functional contributions to cellular redox homeostasis 2024
Graduate Research Day · UMBC · Poster
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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DECODING GLUCOSOME: REVEALING THE FUNCTION-DEPENDENT COMPOSITION OF GLUCOSOMES 2023
The 2023 USM LSAMP Research Symposium · University of Maryland, College Park · Poster
Augustine Obisesan (Author & Presenter), Ashesh Sharma (Author), Songon An (Author)
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DECODING GLUCOSOME: REVEALING THE FUNCTION-DEPENDENT COMPOSITION OF GLUCOSOMES 2023
The 2023 SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Fest · University of Maryland, Baltimore County · Poster
Augustine Obisesan (Author & Presenter), Ashesh Sharma (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Spatial Biochemistry of Glucose Flux Regulation by Multienzyme Glucosome Assemblies in Human Cells 2023
The Gordon Research Conference: Enzymes, Coenzymes and Metabolic Pathways · The Gordon Research Conference · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author & Presenter)
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Hyperosmotic stress alters enzyme composition rations of glucosomes 2023
The Annual Frontiers at the Chemistry-Biology Interface Symposium · University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy · Poster
Haotian Wu (Author & Presenter), Spencer Jaquet (Author), Songon An (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author)
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Modulating size distribution of glucosomes to understand their functional contributions to cellular redox homeostasis 2023
The Annual Frontiers at the Chemistry-Biology Interface Symposium · University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy · Poster
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Hyperosmotic stress alters enzyme composition rations of glucosomes 2023
The Chesapeake Bay Area Single Molecule Biology Meeting · Johns Hopkins University · Poster
Haotian Wu (Author & Presenter), Spencer Jaquet (Author), Songon An (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author)
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Modulating size distribution of glucosomes to understand their functional contributions to cellular redox homeostasis 2023
The Chesapeake Bay Area Single Molecule Biology Meeting · Johns Hopkins University · Poster
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Modulating size distribution of glucosomes to understand their size-dependent functional contributions to cellular redox homeostasis 2023
Graduate Research Day · UMBC · Poster
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Modulating size distribution of glucosomes to understand their functional contributions to cellular redox homeostasis 2023
The 2023 Annual Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Retreat · University of Maryland, School of Medicine · Poster
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Synchronizing glucosome size using optogenetics for its size-dependent functional characterization 2022
Chemistry/Biochemistry Graduate Research Day · UMBC · Poster
Ashesh Sharma (Author & Presenter), Miji Jeon (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Functional Regulation of a Multienzyme Metabolic Complex in Glucose Metabolism by the EGF-ERK1/2 Signaling Cascade 2020
Graduate Research Day · UMBC · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Krishna M Chauhan (Author), Greg Szeto (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Spatial Organizations of Metabolic Enzymes in Living Human Cells 2020
A Lighting Talk at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Open Campus Program · UMBC · Oral Presentation
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Functional Regulation of a Multienzyme Metabolic Complex in Glucose Metabolism by the EGF-ERK1/2 Signaling Cascade 2020
The Annual Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Retreat 2020 · University of Maryland School of Medicine · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Krishna M Chauhan (Author), Greg Szeto (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Functional Regulation of a Multienzyme Metabolic Complex in Glucose Metabolism by the EGF-ERK1/2 Signaling Cascade 2019
The 6th Chesapeake Bay Area Single Molecule Biology Meeting · UMBC · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Krishna M Chauhan (Author), Greg Szeto (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Functional Regulation of a Multienzyme Metabolic Complex in Glucose Metabolism by the EGF-ERK1/2 Signaling Cascade 2019
Nature conferences: Functional dynamics – visualizing molecules in action · Nature & Arizona State University · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Krishna M Chauhan (Author), Greg Szeto (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Size-Dependent Functional Oscillation of Glucosomes during the Cell Cycle Progression 2019
The Gordon Research Conference: Enzymes, Coenzymes and Metabolic Pathways · The Gordon Research Conference · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author), Danielle L Schmitt (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author & Presenter)
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The Glucosome: A Metabolic Compartment for Glucose Metabolism in Living Cells 2019
2019 ACS Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting · ACS · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Casey L Kohnhorst (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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The Glucosome: A Metabolic Compartment for Glucose Metabolism in Living Cells 2019
The Annual Frontiers at the Chemistry-Biology Interface Symposium · NIH · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Casey L Kohnhorst (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Membraneless Metabolic Granules and Their Functional Contributions to Glucose Metabolism in Living Cells: the Glucosome 2019
Keystone Symposia - Biomolecular Condensates: Phase-Separated Organizers of Cellular Biochemistry (D5) · Keystone Symposia · Oral Presentation
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Membraneless Metabolic Granules and Their Functional Contributions to Glucose Metabolism in Living Cells: the Glucosome 2019
Keystone Symposia - Biomolecular Condensates: Phase-Separated Organizers of Cellular Biochemistry (D5) · Keystone Symposia · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author), Erin L Kennedy (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author & Presenter)
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The Glucosome: A Metabolic Compartment for Glucose Metabolism in Living Cells 2019
Chemistry/Biochemistry Graduate Research Day · UMBC · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Casey L Kohnhorst (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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The Glucosome: A Metabolic Compartment for Glucose Metabolism in Living Cells 2019
The 2019 Biophysical Society Meeting (BPS2019) · Biophysical Society · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Casey L Kohnhorst (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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The Glucosome: A Metabolic Compartment for Glucose Metabolism in Living Cells 2019
The Annual Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Retreat 2019 · University of Maryland School of Medicine · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Songon An (Author)
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A Regulatory Multienzyme Complex for Glucose Metabolism and Its Contributions to the Warburg Effect in Single Cancer Cells 2018
The AACR Metabolism and Cancer · AACR · Oral Presentation
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A Regulatory Multienzyme Complex for Glucose Metabolism and Its Contributions to the Warburg Effect in Single Cancer Cells 2018
The AACR Metabolism and Cancer · AACR · Poster
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Sequestration of de novo Purine Biosynthetic Enzymes by Signaling Pathways 2018
The Gordon Research Conference: Enzymes, Coenzymes and Metabolic Pathways · The Gordon Research Conference · Poster
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The Glucosome: A Metabolic Compartment for Glucose Metabolism in Living Cells 2018
The 3rd Chesapeake Bay Area Single Molecule Biology Meeting · Johns Hopkins University · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Casey L Kohnhorst (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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The Glucosome: A Metabolic Compartment for Glucose Metabolism in Living Cells 2018
The Annual Frontiers at the Chemistry-Biology Interface Symposium · UPenn · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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The Glucosome: A Metabolic Compartment for Glucose Metabolism in Living Cells. 2018
The 9th Annual Cancer Biology Research Retreat · University of Maryland School of Medicine · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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The Glucosome: A Metabolic Compartment for Glucose Metabolism in Living Cells 2018
The Annual Meeting of American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology · ASBMB · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Casey L Kohnhorst (Author), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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The Glucosome: A Metabolic Compartment for Glucose Metabolism in Living Cells 2018
Strategic Workshop on Imaging Subcellular to Cellular Cancer Biology · NCI and ASCB-Cosponsored · Poster
Songon An (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author)
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Regulatory metabolic complex for glucose metabolism in living cells 2018
Annual Graduate Research Conference · UMBC Graduate School · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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4D spatial analysis of protein assemblies in metabolism with lattice light sheet microscopy 2018
Graduate Research Day · UMBC · Oral Presentation
Erin Kennedy (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Regulatory metabolic complex for glucose metabolism in living cells 2018
Graduate Research Day · UMBC Chemistry and Biochemistry · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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A regulatory metabolic complex for glucose metabolism in living cells: the glucosome 2018
The Annual Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Retreat 2018 · University of Maryland School of Medicine · Oral Presentation
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Regulatory metabolic complex for glucose metabolism in living cells 2018
The Annual Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Retreat 2018 · University of Maryland School of Medicine · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Subcellular interaction of pyridoxine 5’-phosphate oxidase and serine hydroxylmethyltransferase 2 2018
The Annual Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Retreat 2018 · University of Maryland School of Medicine · Poster
Joseph Sparenberg (Author & Presenter), Songon An (Author)
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Regulatory metabolic complex for glucose metabolism in living cells 2017
2017 ACS National Meeting · ACS · Poster
Miji Jeon (Author & Presenter), Minjoung Kyoung (Author), Songon An (Author)
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Spatial regulation of glycolytic and gluconeogenic enzyme compartmentalization by small molecules in human cells 2017
2017 ACS National Meeting · ACS · Poster
Danielle L Schmitt (Author & Presenter), Songon An (Author)
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Spatial regulation of glycolytic and gluconeogenic enzyme compartmentalization by small molecules in human cells 2017
2017 ACS National Meeting · ACS · Oral Presentation
Danielle L Schmitt (Author & Presenter), Songon An (Author)
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Spatial Regulation of Human de novo Purine Biosynthesis in Cells 2012
5th Annual Frontiers at the Chemistry-Biology Interface Symposium · University of Pennsylvania · Oral Presentation
Grants and Contracts
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Undergraduate Research Award 2023
UMBC · Sponsored Research
Augustine Obisesan, Songon An (Supporting)
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CBI Fellowship 2016
NIH · Fellowship · Funded
Danielle L Schmitt, Songon An (Supporting)
